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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25885372">Too early seen unknown, and known too late</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/hedakomskaikru/pseuds/hedakomskaikru'>hedakomskaikru</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Motherland: Fort Salem (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, Raylla, Will update tags as I update, but it doesn't happen immediately, i don't write really long fics, it'll be angsty, kind of slowburn? probably not too much</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 10:21:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>65,431</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25885372</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/hedakomskaikru/pseuds/hedakomskaikru</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Scylla and Raelle try to navigate their relationship, or what's left of it, while the Spree and the Army try and work together to defeat a common enemy.</p><p>Post season 1 finale.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Raelle Collar/Scylla Ramshorn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>108</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>436</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Prologue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Babe, c'mon."
</p><p>"Just one photo. Please." She pressed her hands together, fingers interlocking, and let her chin rest on top of them. "Please."
</p><p>The blonde looked at that pout, meeting blue eyes, that were pleading for this small favor. "All right. Ok. But the movie's starting in a few minutes. I really don't wanna miss-"
</p><p>"It'll only take a second!" She looked around, looking for someone to take their picture. "Hey, hey, miss! Is it ok if you take our photo for a second?"
</p><p>The stranger smiled, eyes serene. "Certainly."
</p><p>She took their photo, hands steady, head focused, and she ignored the flash of <i>something</i> on her periphery that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. She smiled at them, gave back the girl's phone. "You should go inside. It's a good movie. You don't wanna miss anything."
</p><p>The guy grinned, nodding. "That's what I've been telling her! C'mon, babe. We gotta go."
</p><p>The stranger smiled at them as they waved their thanks, and she put her hands on the strap of her bag, light because it contained nothing but an empty bottle.
</p><p>She entered the theater, eyes slightly unfocused as she tried to pay attention to everything around her. Her first mission had been a big one, and this small theater was a small fraction. But they've understandably targeted smaller groups, ever since the attack on the stadium. Security has been cranking up everywhere, and even the Spree had to adapt.
</p><p>She exhaled slowly now as she sat on her designated seat, in one of the closest to the exit, and she slipped her hand inside her bag, hand going to the mouth of the seemingly empty bottle, still sealed.
</p><p>She took a breath, then another, before blowing softly, producing a sound that could barely be heard by human ears. It made her already light colored eyes become even lighter. Her vision swam, narrowing down into a pinpoint, before it widened suddenly. She grit her teeth. This spell always made her a little dizzy, but it was unfortunately necessary for this mission.
</p><p>Her vision zeroed in on random individuals. She ignored the loud opening scene of the movie, as her Sight stretched to accommodate the breadth of the spell. It was taking a lot out of her just to See. She blinked once--she saw a little girl laughing at her brother, pointing at something on the screen--twice--she saw an old man shifting in his seat, ready to fall asleep, as he probably only came to accompany his family--thrice--she saw the same couple she bumped into outside, hands clasped, the girl looking excitedly at her boyfriend whose eyes were glued to the screen.
</p><p>The fourth time she finally saw <i>her</i>. She was calmly palming a glass bottle, eyes glued to the screen, but unseeing. Her mouth was moving, preparing the spell.
</p><p>Scylla timed her opening the bottle to the loud noise of the bottle suddenly breaking from pressure instead of impact. Her eyes widened, however, the moment she heard the Seed.
</p><p>Fuck. They prepared the wrong one.
</p><p>She frantically murmured an adjustment to the counterspell she'd been given. But the chaos had already started to spread from the point of the exposure, the brunette whose eyes were suddenly searching for something in the crowd.
</p><p>Because the Spree spell wasn't spreading as fast as it should have.
</p><p>Scylla hoped Anacostia's Cloaking spell was stronger than this girl's Sight.
</p><p>Scylla grit her teeth, finishing off the adjustment to the spell, ending in a gasp, the pull of the Protection spell draining her. But she watched the spread of the Spree spell completely stop, with the few people around her having gathered their wits about them, and starting to leave.
</p><p>The rest of the theater was in chaos, destroying everything around them. Oddly enough, not really killing each other.
</p><p>She had to leave, too, before the novitiate figures out it was her that thwarted that spell.
</p><p>Scylla was gone before the Military arrived.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Scylla blocked out the screams when she arrived at the Spree safehouse, one she knew Anacostia didn’t know about. There had been an immediate recall of agents on the field after the failed attack, with instructions to lay low for a while. While the Army dealt with failures of cadets with a firm lecture, and a comforting hand on the shoulder, the Spree did things differently.
</p><p>That girl would be a Mask by the end of the day.
</p><p><i>"You need to make this look… good."</i>
</p><p><i>Scylla frowned, still confused at being let go by Anacostia, the very first person who suspected her of someone with ulterior motives.</i>
</p><p><i>"Hold on to the part of you that's good."</i>
</p><p><i>Scylla couldn't promise anything, but she still nodded. She looked down at the lighter in her hand, weight familiar, the one Anacostia had lifted from her when they took her during the chaos of the wedding. "You do know this is part of the Arts, right? Obtaining your face… It won't be painless."</i>
</p><p><i>Anacostia grit her teeth. "I know. I figured."</i>
</p><p>Scylla had to give it to her. Anacostia never made a sound while Scylla extracted her face. But she did pass out from the pain.
</p><p>That was why it confused her when a Spree superior had turned up at her room with Raelle's face.
</p><p>The failed Spree operative today was always going to be a casualty in this war, someone caught in the crossfire between the Army and Spree. It wasn't the first time that Scylla questioned the Spree as an entirety. But her thoughts were always clouded by how much more pain she'd had to go through because of the Army. At least the Spree gave her direction. And destroying the Army was a good enough reason for her to follow in their footsteps for now.
</p><p>But she didn't want another reason to be tied down to an institution. Wasn't that just what she was avoiding with the Army?
</p><p>Scylla slid into a room, and was immediately confronted by a senior member. She smiled, charming as always. "Alyssa."
</p><p>"You weren't somehow involved in that recent blunder, were you?"
</p><p>Scylla rolled her eyes. "I killed over a thousand people in one hit. Why would I cave?"
</p><p>"You've gone soft ever since that-"
</p><p>Scylla's face hardened. "Finish that sentence." Her eyes went flat, the beginnings of a spell already brewing at the back of her throat.
</p><p>"Girls."
</p><p>Scylla inhaled, stepping back from the older girl. "Andy," she greeted, the older woman, one of the members of Willa's inner circle. 
</p><p>Andy raised both eyebrows. "She wants to talk."
</p><p>Without waiting for a reply, Andy turned, already knowing Scylla would follow.
</p><p>Unlike the dark and bleak corridors of the Army, the Spree maintained brighter hallways. Underneath their most recent morbid leanings, the Spree had been introduced to Scylla as a rebellion against the oppression of the Military. It represented freedom from the mandates of conscription, and stability from the consequent reality of Dodgers.
</p><p>Scylla had no one.
</p><p>And the Spree reached out.
</p><p>It was only coincidence that they happened to come upon someone as skilled as she was. Scylla was aware that there were definitely more powerful witches, and she'd stood among them while she bade her time in the Army. But she was smart, and she knew how to look after herself. And being a Dodger gave her the advantage of having laid out her roots in the forests, where their settlements usually were. Work has always been stronger in nature.
</p><p>She followed Andy through a long corridor, before ending in what looked to be a study.
</p><p>Willa Collar kept her head ducked towards her work while they entered, and Scylla was gestured towards one of the chairs in front of the desk. Scylla knew waiting was one of the things Willa made her subordinates do. It was a simple powerplay.
</p><p>The wait wasn't long this time. "Scylla." Willa stood, smiling at her. She meticulously fixed her desk, before walking around her table towards a tea tray to the side. "How are you?"
</p><p>Scylla crossed her legs, smiling. "Peachy."
</p><p>"And you have updates?"
</p><p>"Alder's at full strength again, but her attention has completely shifted towards the Camarilla now."
</p><p>Willa shook her head, as if that were a minor inconvenience. "So late in the game. After the enemy has taken out so many of their people. And the sergeant?"
</p><p>"As far as I know, she still believes me."
</p><p>"They were happy with the few you saved?" Willa smiled almost affectionately at her, bringing the prepared tea set over so she could sit across from Scylla. "You tried entirely too hard there, Scylla. A third?"
</p><p>"It wouldn't have been believable otherwise."
</p><p>"Always a knack for counterspells. You <i>are</i> the perfect spy."
</p><p>Scylla shrugged while she took the teacup that was being handed her. She blew on the top, the sound a little more than a whisper, but when she stopped, the steam was gone, and she took a sip.
</p><p>"Make sure she indeed believes you, Scylla." Willa paused, eyeing the younger woman. "But what about you. Do you still believe in our cause?"
</p><p>It was a regular checkup. The question was always laced with the most inconspicuous of seeds, to seek truth. But Scylla had no shortage of hate for the Military, that usually muddled truth spells enough for them not to work whenever this line of questioning was directed at her.
</p><p>Scylla blinked slowly once, and in that split second saw all the memories she cherished with Raelle, ironically the daughter of the person she was talking to. "The Military took everything from me."
</p><p>A non-answer. But to Willa Collar, it was enough. She'd seen the fire in Scylla's eyes the first day she found out about Raelle's death, which Willa knew had been false news, and she'd fostered that hate so she could keep Scylla just within her grasp.
</p><p>A valuable asset.
</p><p>Willa Collar will keep her for as long as she remained to be.
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. In Too Deep</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Scylla becomes reckless during a mission. She has a moment with Tally while healing.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"The Concord needs to be negotiated tomorrow."
</p><p>Anacostia slowly raised her head up to look at her newest charge, for once, one she herself had chosen, and not someone assigned to her through a ritual. She'd quickly gotten used to seeing Scylla in different faces, but she couldn't deny that seeing her with the charm off gave the drill sergeant a measure of security. The fact that she'd trusted a spree operative with so much military information was already unheard of. Being actually attached to the little shit was a whole other thing altogether.
</p><p>She shook her head, looking back down to her paperwork. "It's still too early. They've barely even started drafting anything. They've just had their first meeting a couple of days ago."
</p><p>Scylla shrugged, her usual nonchalant self. "Fine. But there's a street festival twenty-one miles from here happening the day after tomorrow, and the Camarilla will be using it as a cover for a gathering. The Spree are going to be taking advantage of it."
</p><p>Anacostia stiffened. Ever since finding out about the actual goal of the attacks on the civilians, Anacostia had marveled at how the Spree had been extracting information from the age old enemy of the witches. While the Military had languished the past few years until the recent Spree attacks, the Spree had actually been targeting localities that allegedly have Camarilla presence in them.
</p><p>Whether or not they were conscientious enough to actually confirm their information was something Anacostia doubted, and from what she knew from Scylla's intel, they didn't. It was enough for the Spree to attack based on a rumor.
</p><p>Anacostia also found out that the massacre that Scylla had taken part of killed more than 300 Camarilla, including two who were part of their group of leaders. The Spree had chosen to sacrifice more than a thousand civilians to take them out.
</p><p>The Military had been ignorant about the war being waged right under its nose. And so far, they hadn't been able to capture any Spree or Camarilla members.
</p><p>"How many?" Her voice was quiet, and she'd finally chosen to set aside her work to give her full attention to Scylla.
</p><p>Scylla shrugged again. "Does it matter?" She leaned back on the wall hands trapped behind her as she smiled at the drill sergeant. "You get squirmy whatever the number." She swung herself upright again, holding her hands in front of her now. "They're sending me in. Probably my last mission."
</p><p>Anacostia grit her teeth. "Stop being vague, Ramshorn."
</p><p>"It's the third one we're thwarting. They're probably going to rig the balloon to include me.
</p><p>"You said you were safe."
</p><p>"I was." Scylla tilted her head, as if she was contemplating the weather instead of the possibility of the Spree catching on to her betrayal, that would eventually lead to her death.
</p><p>Anacostia's jaw worked. She was, Anacostia admitted. Until she wasn't. They knew the risks. Anacostia had reached out only to Petra about having an undercover operative who would be a double agent. None of them really fully trusted Scylla, but she had delivered invaluable intel the past few weeks, and with great risk to herself. It had predictably started after the results of the engagement in China. When news of Raelle Collar's and Abigail Bellweather's deaths had reached them
</p><p>Scylla was singularly motivated to take down the Camarilla no matter the risk to herself. General Petra Bellweather was blurring the lines of her longstanding beliefs in the system by trusting a Spree agent. And Anacostia was the unfortunate bridge between the two of them, trying to preserve her honor and dignity.
</p><p>"I'm going," Scylla proclaimed, brooking no argument. She turned to leave.
</p><p>"Ramshorn."
</p><p>With an exaggerated, exasperated sigh, Scylla turned, mocking practiced smile already in place. "Yes, sergeant?"
</p><p>"I have news."
</p><p>The announcement was followed by silence, and it made Scylla want to fidget. She didn't need to keep reporting in the Military Base, and the longer she stayed, the more antsy she got. But annoying Anacostia was a personal past time. And seeing the tree she frequented with a former private had nothing to do with it. "Are you going to tell me, or were you just going to dangle that news in front of me and wait for it to reach me through the Spree grapevine?"
</p><p>"We found her."
</p><p>Scylla stiffened, smile dropping. It's been two weeks since they were left for dead in China, a few days since the news about them possibly being alive, and there was already rumors going around that the first intel had been wrong. That the two young cadets, barely out of Basic, hadn't actually made it. "That's cruel, Anacostia."
</p><p>"Some ground operatives found them by the borders of Tarim territory. They don't know why the two only showed up now-"
</p><p>"If this is some sick way to tie me here-"
</p><p>"Scylla."
</p><p>Scylla started at her name, which rarely ever fell from anyone's lips now. She was an object in this war, her value separate from who she was. She'd more than just lost her love a couple of weeks ago. Whatever was left of her after her parents' deaths. "How is…"
</p><p>Anacostia stood from her desk, looking over her shoulder to check the windows as if anyone could be listening in. And anyone could. She had taken to adding precautions in her office because her Spree operative turned Military double agent was just as, if not more reckless than her former ward.
</p><p>When her gaze returned to Scylla, the former necro seemed to have shrunk. In the same way she'd been stripped bare when Anacostia had made the decision to use Raelle against her, Scylla was once again vulnerable in front of her. As lost as she was as the day everything had been stripped away from her.
</p><p>Anacostia had built her life making connections.
</p><p>Scylla had lived hers tearing them down.
</p><p>It was only Raelle who had unknowingly given Scylla a reason to fight for something. And she had been gone for almost two weeks.
</p><p>"She's recovering. She and Bellweather have been unconscious since they were found. Their Work-"
</p><p>"Can I see her?"
</p><p>"Ramshorn."
</p><p>"I'm gonna see her with or without your permission."
</p><p>Anacostia glared, crossing her arms. "It's too risky."
</p><p>"I risk my life on a daily basis for the Spree and for this fucked up institution. I think I can handle sneaking a peek at Raelle."
</p><p>Anacostia noted the hitch in Scylla's voice, and she almost gave in. "You can't."
</p><p>Scylla made a dismissive gesture. "I technically can."
</p><p>Anacostia shook her head. "She'll be present in the Concord. Just wait a little more-"
</p><p>"Concord? So the military is still taking advantage of her. You send her off to die the very first thing-"
</p><p>"Scylla."
</p><p>"-and now you're putting her front and center in this fucked up war against the Camarilla."
</p><p>"I know you love her."
</p><p>Scylla's breath stuttered, and she finally stopped talking, shoulders slumping, eyes casting down, and she was only half surprised that when she a teardrop splashed against her hands, wringing in front of her in her anxiety.
</p><p>Raelle was alive.
</p><p>Suddenly she was sobbing. Her legs gave out, her hands came up pressing painfully against her traitorous eyes. She was <i>good</i> at keeping everyting is check. But she'd started breaking at the seams when she fell in love with Raelle. She was fully prepared to die for the Spree, then she was fully prepared to die in her vengeance for the only person who had seen the real her.
</p><p>But now she was back?
</p><p>"Oh, goddess," Scylla choked out, surprised it was muffled against a shoulder. She was suddenly aware of strong arms holding her steady. "Please. Just let me see her."
</p><p>"Get through this next mission."
</p><p>Scylla scoffed, finally pulling away. "Do you ever get tired of using people?"
</p><p>"Do you?"
</p><p>Scylla grit her teeth, fully separating herself from Anacostia. Sometimes she forgot the sergeant was the kind of person who knew exactly how to break her. She still had nightmares about Raelle being dragged away. "Well, then." Her cheeks were splotchy, she was flushed from crying, and her eyes were red.
</p><p>"Wish me luck," she muttered, turning away from Anacostia, knowing the older woman would be in on this latest mission. Whether or not Scylla would survive it didn't mean shit to the  Military, but she knew if she saved enough lives the day after tomorrow, they might not send her to that Caribbean prison after the war.
</p><p>Maybe.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>"Four guards? I feel special."
</p><p>"Silence, Spree."
</p><p>Scylla smiled sweetly, head tilting before she looked towards the foot of her bed. She met Petra's eyes, and then raised her right hand to give her a wave. "Hello, general."
</p><p>"Show some respect, girl," hissed one of her guards on her right.
</p><p>Scylla mocked confusion, brows furrowing. She stayed propped on an elbow, and adjusted her hand so the tip of her index finger pressed to the edge of her eyebrow in a sloppy salute. "Hello, general?"
</p><p>She almost grinned while watching General Petra Bellweather working her jaw in her annoyance. But Scylla had offered a way for the Military to move forward when their own intelligence had failed, and at great risk to Scylla's life. Not that the danger to Scylla's life was ever a consideration against the plan. "The mission was a success."
</p><p>Scylla's smile widened. That was the most she was gonna get, so she responded with, "You're welcome."
</p><p>"The Concord is pushing through. And… your superior asked for you to be present."
</p><p>Scylla still couldn't move her legs. She was told by one of her fixers that it would take a few more sessions before she could walk again. So she gestured to the Military Police flanking her bed, stationed there while she was being treated at Fort Salem. "Will I be carried by one of them?"
</p><p>"Insolent, little-"
</p><p>Petra raised a hand to silence the guard who spoke up. "You're only here because you caught a blast for Sergeant Quartermaine."
</p><p>"And dying for the Military is the entire point," Scylla nodded solemnly.
</p><p>Scylla counted it as a win when she saw the general's lips twitch in annoyance, before she strode away, and the guards assigned to her scattered to their posts, manning possible exit points. 
</p><p>Scylla dropped back to lie down, and looked towards her feet willing them to move. She rolled her eyes because of course not. She'd be here until tonight, with two more sessions with fixers who didn't know who they were healing. Anacostia had shown her a picture of a human civilian that she needed to copy while she was being held on the base.
</p><p>She exhaled loudly, her right hand gravitating to her left, index finger tapping over her palm. Which was stupid. But holding on to things she'd already lost was somehow somewhat of a problem for someone who has lost everything like she did. She'd only ever had her parents, and then they were ripped away from her. And then for a while, she thought she had Raelle, and then she was ripped away from her, too. And both by the same institution she had grown to hate.
</p><p>She closed her eyes, ready to slip into unconsciousness before her next Fixer session, when she heard quiet footsteps enter the infirmary. She recognized Tally from the corner of her vision, a little older than the last time she'd seen the bright-eyed, perky young woman. Scylla had heard the rumors of Tally becoming a biddy. All this time, she thought it was a permanent commitment. She guessed apparently they got to choose who could be sacrificed that way.
</p><p>For a relatively progressive people, witches were so hung up on traditions. Just the fact that they sacrificed people to build one witch up… Scylla had to refrain from rolling her eyes at how much the witch community was ignoring just to keep their traditions up.
</p><p>"What got you here?"
</p><p>Scylla's eyes shifted towards the younger woman, her own a dark brown instead of their usual light blue, nearly gray. She blinked, surprised that a part of Tally, the idealistic, believes in the best in people part, was still somehow there despite everything she probably already went through. Small talk with strangers wasn't something anyone would do right now. With a murmured subvocal spell, she cast Silence on their conversation, wary of her guards. "Recklessness."
</p><p>She watched Tally's lips twitch up, eyes shadowed by something new, but her soft demeanor somehow still shining through. "Same."
</p><p>Scylla shared the smile. She couldn't remember the last time someone had smiled at her without malice behind it. No. She knew when. "You don't seem like the reckless type."
</p><p>Tally laughed, voice quiet, as if to preserve the peace between them. "No. I didn't think I was either." Tally lifted a hand self-consciously, running a hand over the white strands of hair on her head. "I'm Tally."
</p><p>Scylla stared at the innocent eyes, sincere. Tally's first instinct was to trust. Scylla's was the opposite. So Scylla smiled, brought herself up to her elbows, the most she could do while the nerves on her back healed, and tilted her head. She knew Tally would see an eerily familiar smile on an unfamiliar face. "Scylla."
</p><p>The smile on Tally's face dropped. "You…"
</p><p>The former necro exhaled a laugh, falling back again, breaking eye contact. "I’m actually glad you're ok, Tally." Scylla didn't know what  it was. Maybe it was the realization that Raelle's plan to die early actually had a little bit of merit. Maybe if Alder finds out about her still being in Military grounds, Scylla could have an early end.
</p><p>"You- I-"
</p><p>Scylla sighed. "I know. Don't worry. I'm only here for a few more hours."
</p><p>"You didn't give her up."
</p><p>Scylla blinked up at the ceiling of the infirmary, surprised, before looking back at the Knower.
</p><p>"And…" Tally's eyes widened. "You were the one who caught a hit for Sergeant Quartermaine. The undercover operative."
</p><p>"How are you even in on that news?"
</p><p>"I kept some of General Alder's memories even after they reversed… <i>it</i>. The headaches are the problem. The Fixers are helping me with them." Tally tilted her head in thought, trying to sift through the memories that were starting to get muddled. "She doesn't know it's you."
</p><p>"And Alder's fine with you being privy to that information?"
</p><p>"I don't understand you, Scylla."
</p><p>Scylla smiled, rueful. "Neither do I. I think I miscalculated." She raised her left hand, idly traced her index finger over it, decided, again, against contacting Raelle that way ever since finding out she was actually alive. "Apparently… I love her, more than I fear whatever outcomes arise from my actions."
</p><p>Their conversation was interrupted as one of the guards hissed, canceling the Silencing spell. Scylla smirked. "Just having a chat," she murmured, knowing she'd be heard despite how low her voice was. "Sorry," she said, louder, so Tally could hear. "I'm being watched."
</p><p>Tally swallowed awkwardly, unseen by the Spree agent in front of her, who had decided to keep staring at the ceiling while they talked. She still didn't know where Scylla was coming from, what was driving her. But the former cadet seemed to only be sure of one thing. And it was a motivation Tally could actually trust.
</p><p>Tally looked up as the door to the office opened, and one of the Fixers exited, giving Tally a smile, before turning to Scylla smile dropping. "I hope you weren't disturbing one of our promising cadets."
</p><p>"But it's a hobby of mine-"
</p><p>"She wasn't," Tally interjected. She met mischievous eyes, the same ones she met that one day at the pizza parlor. Ones she had watched turn her rebellious friend into putty for two seconds, before Raelle automatically built up her walls again.
</p><p>Because Scylla loved Raelle. Enough, apparently, to defy the Spree.
</p><p>Tally smiled, shifting her gaze to the Fixer, dimples appearing. "We were just talking."
</p><p>The Fixer looked doubtful, probably having been on the receiving end of Scylla's snarky remarks while she was staying there. "All right. We'll start with you in a moment."
</p><p>Tally nodded her agreement, and watched the Fixer walk back into the office before looking back at Scylla, face different, who was fiddling with her hands on her stomach. And she realized that maybe she was looking at the only person who shared the amount of relief she felt at the news about Raelle--and for Tally also Abigail--coming back.
</p><p>She watched Scylla fidget in front of her, the same way Raelle seemed to play with her left hand, waiting for something. She knew very little about the undercover Spree agent, but what little she did know made her sympathize with her. She knew that Scylla was supposed to deliver Raelle to the Spree that wedding day. She knew from Scylla's demeanor that she wanted to keep Raelle safe while talking to that balloon through the mirror, that she probably decided that it was safer for Raelle not to be given away. So Scylla defied the Spree. And from what Raelle said, was subsequently taken hostage by the Military.
</p><p>Tally didn't know where the former Necro stood.
</p><p>Tally assumed wherever it was, it was probably with Raelle.
</p><p>So she steepled her hands on her lap, deciding not to revive the conversation until she was sure Scylla was someone she could trust. If not with the cause, at least where Raelle was concerned.
</p><p>Tally fought the instinctive distrust that came with having been a biddy to Alder. That and growing up idealizing the Military. Her gaze flicked towards Scylla again, and she almost smiled when Scylla gave her a jaunty salute in response.
</p><p>What did it mean of the Spree that one of their operatives changed their minds so quickly about following their orders? Or was that just Scylla?
</p><p>Whatever it was, Tally was starting to see the cracks in the Military, and she was also starting to see maybe, where the Spree were actually coming from. Especially after their encounter with the Camarilla a few weeks ago.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Our favorite Unit trio in the next chapter. Then Raylla in chapter 3. Watch out for that.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. What Once Was Lost</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Unit reunion.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She could only remember flashes.
</p><p>There have already been preliminary questions when they were first found, but it was quickly surmised that they weren't in any position to answer them. Raelle and her barely remembered what happened after the witchbomb, but whatever it was, Alder wanted it replicated.
</p><p>But whenever she slept, her subconscious would be filled by whatever she'd seen then. Of seeing Raelle getting pierced by that lance. Of hearing Tally's terrified scream, muffled by the helicopter preparing for takeoff. She'd remember the weak grip Raelle had on hers while she gripped back with the conviction of wanting Raelle to come out of there alive.
</p><p>She remembered all her strength leaving her, sharing whatever Work she had in her with Raelle. She remembered feeling an infinite well of power just before all of hers was depleted.
</p><p>It terrified her. Especially because she had a strong suspicion that infinite pool was Raelle's, untapped, until then.
</p><p>If it was, she wondered if that was how Raelle pulled impossible stunts in Basic.
</p><p>Basic, Abigail thought ruefully. It felt like a world away. She only ever wanted to move past Basic and enter War College, then move up from there. But then they were deployed on the first day of graduation.
</p><p>She remembered thinking Raelle was right. She looked up at the helicopter that had previously been waiting for them, suddenly take flight without them, and she thought, <i>War meat. Just like Raelle said.</i>
</p><p>She watched that helicopter hover and then fly off, feeling the last dregs of her Work fade away, feeling the last of her lifeforce drain away. And then suddenly.
</p><p>Suddenly they were on their feet, and Abigail was terrified to know that letting go of Raelle's hand would prove fatal for her. But honestly, it seemed like something else was keeping them tethered together, some unknown force that was rooted deeply unto the very ground they had walked for days.
</p><p>Abigail would never be able to explain it, but… they fed on Work.
</p><p>She lay on her back now, thinking back to what she could remember of her time tied to Raelle.
</p><p>She couldn’t explain what they went through. But she only knew that she found out a lot more about Raelle than she bargained for when they linked.
</p><p>Before she'd lost the strength on her limbs, she'd seen the flashes. Of Raelle's smiling mother. Of a little girl with wild blonde hair and sharp eyes waiting eagerly by the porch for her mother to arrive after every deployment.
</p><p>And she felt the stark pain of the last deployment. Of Raelle sitting on table with her father while he told her the news. They weren't waiting anymore. She wasn't coming back. She'd fought and sacrificed her life for the Army. The Army that never gave them a choice.
</p><p>Abigail had felt Raelle's resentment, her anger. No… her <i>rage</i>. And then her resignation. Abigail remembered reciting the pledge right before she received her medal. All she had felt was anticipation. Raelle really went into the Army believing she would die needlessly.
</p><p>And they did.
</p><p>She felt the heavy burden of Raelle's decision to join, because she had no choice.
</p><p>And it only changed when she met them. Tally and her.
</p><p>And Scylla.
</p><p>"I grew on you, High Atlantic."
</p><p>"Fucking-"
</p><p>And now they were back on base, trying to heal from whatever it was that happened to them. For some reason, they were being held at a place separate from the infirmary, probably to keep prying eyes away from them.</p><p>"I didn't know you defended my honor."
</p><p>"Well, I said we were proud of you, didn't I?"
</p><p>Raelle grinned, lifting a hand to press against where the lance had penetrated the entire span of her chest. If there was ever anything she didn’t think she'd be able to do… It was stay alive after dying on the battlefield so soon after graduating like she wished while signing up for the Army.
</p><p>"If you'd kindly refrain from being a hero next time-"
</p><p>"Oh, that wasn't you, linking with a dying cadet?"
</p><p>Abigail rolled her eyes. Because she would do it again in a heartbeat. With no way to know if she'd be able to save Raelle, she would link with her again to keep her alive, even with full certainty of her own death. She didn't think she'd get to that point, Abigail thought, but she'd turned out to be the kind of leader who'd die for her members if it really came down to it.
</p><p>Which was now her biggest beef about Alder.
</p><p>"We should check on Tally," Abigail murmured, turning her head so she could look at the other member of their unit, unfortunately high on whatever they've been given for the pain. Abigail had turned it down, not wanting to have her brain muddled. Raelle had predictably jumped on the chance.
</p><p>The thought of Tally actually sobered Raelle enough to stop holding her left hand in front of her face. "Tally. Shit. Do you think she's-"
</p><p>"Alder better not have kept her. She's too young." Abigail shook her head. "And she's the best of us."
</p><p>"The best. The brightest."
</p><p>"Ok, Collar."
</p><p>"Wish she were here. She'd be more fun than you. Bet she'd take the drugs, too."
</p><p>"If I take them, will you finally shut up?"
</p><p>"No promises."
</p><p>Abigail snorted. "Yeah, whatever."
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Raelle blew her hair away from her face, for the first time in a long time out of their usual braids. She snuck a peek around the corner she was standing flush against trying to remain unseen, when she heard a muffled curse behind her. She rolled her eyes, looking back at her taller teammate.
</p><p>"Bells, this can't be the first time you're breaking a rule," she hissed, pulling at Abigail's shoulder to position her beside herself.
</p><p>"Well, I'm sorry we don't all spend our time sneaking around," Abigail hissed back, frustration making her voice a little louder.
</p><p>Raelle pursed her lips, but didn't respond, knowing they were already toeing the line sneaking away. They only had one more Fixer session anyway. It wasn't like they couldn’t heal normally from that. They'd actually done most of the healing while walking away from the attack site. They were both just really dehydrated and hungry. That meant food and water, not healing through Work.
</p><p>Raelle pulled at Abigail's arm again, ducking quickly below the windowsill, while walking through the corridor. They made a couple more turns, before turning up at a room they weren't familiar with. But War College rooms apparently came in singles and threes and without Raelle and Abigail there, Tally was assigned a single.
</p><p>Abigail unlocked the door with a simple insignia, and they both piled in.
</p><p>It was a lot like Scylla's room was Raelle's first thought and she hated it.
</p><p>Abigail crept up to Tally, and pressed a hand against her mouth to keep her screaming. But upon seeing Abigail, Tally still squealed against it pulling Abigail up against her as she sat up. "Oh my goddess, Abi!"
</p><p>Raelle smiled, feeling suddenly infinitely more secure with the three of them in one room. She didn't know when it happened, but the two young women in that room had made themselves almost permanent fixtures in her life. "Really, just her?"
</p><p>She was barely within reach when Tally was pulling her forward. Being the smallest, she almost always came up to both their chins whenever these hugs went, but for once she didn't really care. She tucked herself in the little crook between her teammates, her newfound family, and settled there.
</p><p>It was a while before they untangled, Tally murmuring something while holding up an empty glass jar, and it was suddenly filled by dim light, illuminating all their faces. Abigail whispered a spell to keep their conversation between them, and not alert anyone of their presence in the room.
</p><p>Raelle's first instinct was to reach up, run her fingers over the silvery wisps still visible in Tally's hair. "Really proud of you, Tal. But honestly. Never do that again."
</p><p>Before Raelle could react, Tally had delivered probably the sharpest jab she had ever delivered in her entire life to the arm which was closest to her, which happened to Raelle's.
</p><p>"Fuck! Tal!"
</p><p>"All right! Let's talk about things we're not going to be doing, like taking your time with a child when the Camarilla are right fucking there!"
</p><p>Raelle opened her mouth to respond, but Abigail beat her to it.
</p><p>"Did you just curse?" Abigail looked like she swallowed something awful, looking weirdly at Tally.
</p><p>But Tally rounded on her too. "And you!"
</p><p>Raelle grimaced. "Oh boy."
</p><p>"You couldn't have pulled Raelle away from there towards the helicopters?! You had to be stupid, too, and try linking when she was already bleeding out?!"
</p><p>Abigail was also opening and closing her mouth now, trying to get a word in. Abigail pulled herself up to her tallest height while sitting. "You would have done the same."
</p><p>"I WATCHED YOU DIE!"
</p><p>Abigail's head twitched a little, feeling the Silence spell she'd cast breaking, and she murmured something to bring it back up, but also keeping eye on Tally, who was breathing hard, and now starting cry. "Tally…"
</p><p>Raelle was the first to reach for their friend, and then they were back in the hug pile they were at earlier.
</p><p>"We were supposed to just move on to War College and worry about boys," Tally whined, mostly burnt out of her outburst of rage, worry, frustration and general heartbreak at losing her friends.
</p><p>Raelle made a face "You worry about boys. I ain't touching that."
</p><p>Tally giggled, blowing a little snot out, and they all kind of pulled back.
</p><p>"Honey," Abigail cooed.
</p><p>Raelle started to extract herself. "Yeah, we've hugged it out, I think. I- Tally, ew!"
</p><p>Abigail laughed when Tally shifted so it was only Raelle she was hugging and started nuzzling and wiping her snot everywhere. 
</p><p>"Jesus!"
</p><p>"Not in this house."
</p><p>"Wow. Wow. Thanks, Abs. Great help."
</p><p>Tally perked up again, messily wiping her nose on her sleeve. "Is this a sleepover?" She smiled widely at them both, and Abigail and Raelle could pick up on the creases around her eyes that hadn't been there before, and the gray hairs framing her face. But Tally's eyes were still just as bright.
</p><p>"Well, scoot then, girl, or we won't fit." Abigail took the side closest to the wall. "Raelle, you can be on the foot of the bed."
</p><p>"FUCK that." Raelle chose to fall heavily in between them elbows digging everywhere, but it was making Tally laugh so she squirmed until Abigail was elbowing back. 
</p><p>When the light was finally out, Tally whispered into the night. "I missed you guys."
</p><p>Raelle was already softly snoring. And Tally felt a warm hand settle on her shoulder for a second, squeezing comfortably. "We missed you, too, Tal."
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>They made a mini picnic of their breakfast. Tally was only too happy to smuggle food from the mess hall, and they set up on the floor because there wasn't a table big enough to sit all of them.
</p><p>After a few moments of silence, Raelle felt a nudge against her knee, and she looked up at Abigail, only for her to jut her chin towards their friend. 
</p><p>Raelle turned questioning eyes toward Tally, and she frowned, watching the unfocused eyes, wondering if it was a post-biddy thing. "Tal? You ok?"
</p><p>Tally looked back at Raelle, and it took a few seconds before she actually looked at Raelle. She seemed to be struggling to say something.
</p><p>Abigail reached out to place a comforting hand on Tally's knee. "It's ok, Tally. You don't have to tell us-"
</p><p>"Scylla's here."
</p><p>Raelle froze, jaw dropping in s confusion and shock. And Abigail, while with the desire to look for the former Necro and maybe beat the shit out of her for hurting Raelle, remained calm, waiting out Tally's revelation.
</p><p>Tally shook her head. "I- I don't completely know how to properly sift through all the memories from General Alder. It's… it's been a mess inside my head for a few days. The Fixers are helping, but the progress has been slow-"
</p><p>"Tal," Raelle prompted, voice hoarse, from holding back tears or from something else, she wasn't really sure.
</p><p>"Right. I only remember glimpses of a plan that was underway. General Alder wasn't the direct point person, so she only knew whatever was reported to her. But there's been an unknown operative, who Sergeant Quartermaine has been very protective of, and they've been turning the tide against the Spree attacks. The latest one barely had any casualties, from what I can remember. But there was combat. The… operative took a heavy hit for the sergeant, so she's being held in the infirmary."
</p><p>"Well, how do you know it's her?" Raelle's voice was starting to get louder, impatient. Confused again. Frustrated again. She didn't have all the information and it was making her antsy. And- "She- she took a hit?" She hated that more than anything, she was worried.
</p><p>"I saw her yesterday before my session with the Fixers. She said she was only there until last night, but… But she looked rough."
</p><p>Tally collected herself, trying to make sense of her mind. "The Spree are known to-" Tally  paused, hearing echoes of a conversation that she didn't hear, with the hard, heavy tones of a report from Sergeant Quartermaine, delivered after an interrogation. "-to change appearance?" Tally lifted her shoulders, refocusing on the present, looking first at a frowning Abigail, and at a Raelle who was about ready to bolt. "I don’t know if that entire conversation was a trick, but if it was her…"
</p><p>"Was she ok?"
</p><p>Abigail refrained from rolling her eyes, leaning back against her hands to stop herself from wringing their Fixer's neck. Still hung up, she guessed.
</p><p>Tally shrugged. "I'm not even sure it's her, Raelle. It could be a Spree agent, or- or not even a Spree agent! I don't know." Tally shook her head, eyebrows scrunching. "I can't figure out why they would introduce themselves as Scylla, though."
</p><p>It was only Abigail's reflexes that had her reaching for Raelle who was already on her feet, stooped because of Abigail's grip on her forearm.
</p><p>"Abigail, let go."
</p><p>"What are you going to do? Storm the infirmary and question whoever's there? You won't even get there. They're probably looking for us right now."
</p><p>"And she's heavily guarded, Rae." Tally piped up. "That's why I assumed she's Spree. I'm guessing operatives from the outside wouldn't have four guards on them all the time."
</p><p>"Four?" Abigail asked, incredulous. "She can't be that good."
</p><p>"She eluded detection for six months inside the Base of the sworn enemy of the Spree," Tally reminded her. And then her voice grew softer. "And I think she only got caught because she became too attached…" Her voice softened further into a whisper, which she knew they would both still hear. "…to her mark."
</p><p>Raelle popped up again, this time making sure Abigail didn't reach her.
</p><p>"Raelle, where the hell are you going?"
</p><p>"I’m gonna talk to Anacostia."
</p><p>Abigail and Talley shared a look, before Tally was already gathering her uniform to fix over her shirt, and Abigail was left rolling her eyes and following, so she could maybe prevent them from being expelled from War College before Raelle and her could even start.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Please don't rag on me about plot holes. T-T We're all here for the feelings, right?<br/>But I promise I'm trying to make things as cohesive as possible. Thanks for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Through My Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Raelle manages to see Scylla.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Let me see her."
</p><p>General Quartermaine worked her jaw as she looked up from her paperwork. She knew why these two had gravitated toward each other. When they knew what they want, they never let anything stop them from getting it.
</p><p>But Anacostia was <i>tired</i>.
</p><p>"Good morning, Private Collar. I trust you've attended all Fixer sessions so you're well enough to start your classes this coming week."
</p><p>Raelle leaned on the table where Anacostia was working, hands flat. "Tally said she's here."
</p><p>It took everything in Anacostia not to roll her eyes because, damn it, Tally was one of the good ones. "And how did Private Craven come about this information?"
</p><p>Raelle made a face. "Does it matter?" When she was only met with silence from the drill sergeant, Raelle huffed, pushing off the table. "She had a Fixer session, and she met Scylla there. Wearing a different face, she said. She, I don't know, revealed herself to Tally, or something."
</p><p>Anacostia bared her teeth. She didn't know how Scylla lasted so long outside of the radar of the Military when she was apparently revealing herself to everyone who fucking asked. "Of course, she did," she muttered, frustrated. "Private Collar-"
</p><p>"How is she?"
</p><p>At this they both looked up surprised. Anacostia because she was the one there when Raelle broke down about Scylla's betrayal, and Raelle for once again breaking in front of Anacostia. Raelle had been successfully forgetting about Scylla while she was effectively dying. But finding out she was hurt put her mind in a different place where the former Necro was concerned.
</p><p>Raelle took a couple of steps back, suddenly ashamed. Of still caring. Of still having feelings for someone who had made her so happy by lying to her. "Not… not that I-"
</p><p>"She still can't walk." Anacostia rewarded the moment of vulnerability with her own. She found it was more effective with these girls. She let the guilt of what happened bleed through. "The Fixers underestimated the damage to her spine. But she can move her legs now, at least."
</p><p><i>"Sergeant!</i>
</p><p><i>The shout for her to pay attention to the attack came a little too late. She was just making the turn to face one of the rogue Spree agents, when she heard Scylla scream. She'd been the reason Scylla had writhed in agony before, but for some reason, this time was different.</i>
</p><p><i>Anacostia barely caught Scylla when she fell, still writhing in her arms.</i>
</p><p><i>"It- it hurts- argh!"</i>
</p><p><i>Anacostia grit her teeth to suppress her panic. She didn't even notice the rogue agent being subdued as she repositioned Scylla in her arms. "It's all right. We'll get you out of here."</i>
</p><p><i>Scylla's body seemed to convulse with the pain, before settled back down again, tears on her cheeks. "Fucking hurts," she gasped out.</i>
</p><p><i>"Then you shouldn't have caught that for me, huh."</i>
</p><p>
  <i>Scylla tried to grin, that mischievous grin that seemed to take people in, making her an effective infiltrator, but it was caught in grit teeth, and ended up in a grimace. "Live fast, die- argh!"
</i>
</p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p>
  <i></i>
</p><p><i>"Nobody's dying," Anacostia muttered, firm. She easily picked up Scylla, adjusting her weight in her arms. She barked off orders to the present Military operatives they sent with her, to secure the perimeter, to capture who could be captured. Then she was striding away, her charge long since passed out from the pain.</i>
</p><p>"What happened?"
</p><p>Raelle's quiet question brought her back. Anacostia's eyes met lost, unsure ones. Her lips barely moved when she talked. "We can't talk about it here, Private."
</p><p>Raelle quickly shifted from worried to angry again, and she was about to start raising her voice when she felt a subtle change in the room. It's been happening more and more ever since that explosion during their last mission. She'd been able to feel subtle changes in Work happening.
</p><p>Her eyes shifted to Anacostia, and she barely saw the older woman's lips move to cast a spell, but she felt the room become… muted?
</p><p>A Silence spell.
</p><p>"She's heavily guarded. They won't even let me see her, because General Bellweather has started to suspect how Scylla got out in the first place. She will be sent to a neutral location two days from now where she can make her way back safely to wherever the Spree are keeping their assets. She will be alone for only two minutes while guards change hands. You'll know when and where tomorrow night."
</p><p>Raelle released a breath when the spell dissolved. She found herself nodding.
</p><p>"You are dismissed, Private."
</p><p>Raelle opened her mouth, but shut it after a moment, not really knowing how to respond.
</p><p>Two minutes.
</p><p>She didn't even know what she wanted to accomplish by being there.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>"Like most of your ideas, this is a shit one."
</p><p>They've been cleared for classes, with strict instructions not to use their Work outside of them. They still didn't know what the effect of the witchbomb was to their powers. Abigail and Raelle still hadn't revealed the small changes they've felt, but they've already shared them with each other in that stretch of two weeks where they were in between living and dying. They told Tally about them as they came up.
</p><p>They sat now under one of the large trees in the periphery of one of the fields available for War College cadets. It was one of their common breaks, and there's been an unspoken agreement to meet up whenever they didn't have anything else to do.
</p><p>So now Abigail was ragging on Raelle, and the blonde was a little tired of it. "I just- I just need to see her."
</p><p>"Abs, why are you so against her?" Tally was looking better. She almost looked like how she was before becoming a biddy, but she was told that there would be permanent changes, physical and mental ones. Psychological ones, from how she was constantly feeling conflicted about a lot of things.
</p><p>Abigail side-eyed Raelle, before looking back at Tally. "Aside from her being Spree?"
</p><p>"Sergeant Quartermaine seems to trust her," Tally wondered aloud.
</p><p>"Probably just using Scylla. Like Scylla used Raelle."
</p><p>Raelle was tiny, but a low thrum let all three of them know that the hands that had taken ahold of the front of Abigail's uniform and lifted her up to her feet were charged. "You don't know what happened."
</p><p><i>Abigail shoved Raelle away, now both on their feet. "I do, in fact, know, Collar," Abigail shot back. "I felt </i>everything."
</p><p>Tally watched the two of them standoff, knowing the link they'd forged for the first two or three days to heal each other divulged entirely too much between them, most they weren't even willing to share with each other yet.
</p><p>Raelle stood off with her, their height difference not really mattering as a violent wind started to blow around the two of them. "Why do you keep bringing up how easily I fell in love with her, Abigail, huh? Do you hear me constantly mentioning your mommy issues?"
</p><p>This time, when Abigail pushed her, there was a barely restrained wind strike behind it. It was only Tally catching Raelle that didn't have her blowing off for a few meters.
</p><p>"Abigail!" Tally chastised, helping Raelle upright, and simultaneously holding the blonde back.
</p><p>Abigail raised a hand, having had enough, and she strode off, slinging her bag to her shoulder, before storming off.
</p><p>Tally felt Raelle go slack between the circle of her arms, and she finally relaxed. She let go, trusting Raelle not to go running off and starting the fight back up.
</p><p>"I know I'm being stupid, Tally, ok?" But she went from thinking she was losing Scylla forever to a prison miles away, to having her in the same school. She went from thinking she was losing everything permanently, losing her dad, losing Abigail, losing Tally, to being reinstated as a War College cadet. She didn't end up losing anything.
</p><p>She didn't like it. She thought she didn't want it. But she didn't want to lose Scylla.
</p><p>If there was even a small chance to maybe save her…
</p><p>"But I can't just stand back and-"
</p><p>"When are we going?"
</p><p>Raelle's head whipped to the side, catching Tally's small sympathetic smile. She wasn't the rulebreaker Raelle was, but Raelle could always trust her to have her back. "You'll go with me? I mean, you don't have to."
</p><p>"You'll need a Knower, I think. The moment Spree agents arrive, you'll need to be out of there fast."
</p><p>Raelle grinned, and she pulled Tally to a rare Raelle-initiated hug. Tally laughed, wrapping her own arms around Raelle. "I got your back, Rae."
</p><p>"Yeah," Raelle whispered back, thankful. And if her voice was a little hoarse, neither of them acknowledged it.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>They picked a crowded place. It was crowded enough that walking through the mass of people had her brushing shoulders with someone almost constantly. A couple of minutes before they let her go, she felt a hand press something cold against her palm, and she took it without a falter in her step.
</p><p>She knew her four guards were also in civilian clothes, barely distinguishable from the crowd around them. She knew once she reached the kiosk they'd break off from her, and they'd make their way back.
</p><p>Scylla knew the Accords were already underway because she wouldn't be offered back to the Spree if they weren't. She didn't know if she would even be safe once she got back, after the stunt she pulled.
</p><p>She breathed easy the moment she reached the kiosk in that large park, and she looked down at the lighter in her hand. Anonymity in her hands again.
</p><p>Then someone bumped fully into her, had their hands on her arms a second later.
</p><p>When Scylla looked up, she was met with very, very familiar blue eyes.
</p><p>She was tearing up before she could even make a sound.
</p><p>"Raelle…"
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Tally's eyes went white for a few seconds as her voice quietly enveloped her and Raelle, before shrinking, seemingly absorbed into the ring Raelle always had on her right index finger. Raelle raised surprised eyebrows.
</p><p>"Where'd you learn that?"
</p><p>"Leftover biddy stuff. Alder just knows a lot," Tally answered, shrugging. "It should cloak you and two feet around you."
</p><p>"Just two feet?"
</p><p>Tally grimaced. "Sorry, Raelle. I don’t really know how to extend it. You'll need to keep her within that radius-"
</p><p>"Of course, I do," Raelle muttered, 
</p><p>"-so she's also cloaked, and so she can actually see you."
</p><p>"It's not like you'll hate it," Abigail interjected, approaching them, eyeing the spot where Raelle had been. "Nice job, Tally."
</p><p>"Thanks," Tally piped up, smiling, actually proud of her new skill, which she only knew about in theory before trying it out.
</p><p>Abigail nodded, appreciating the spell, before she turned. "All right. We'll be late if we don't leave now."
</p><p>She heard Tally squeal behind her, before she felt herself engulfed tightly around her middle, then let go immediately. She had to smile affectionately at that, placing a hand on Tally's lower back in acknowledgement.
</p><p>Then she felt a hand on shoulder push her, so she stumbled.
</p><p>"Always with the grand entrances, Bellweather."
</p><p>Abigail took a swipe at the shimmer that had already walked ahead of her, completely missing. She rolled her eyes, but couldn't keep the grin from her face at the snigger from Raelle.
</p><p>They were definitely gonna be the death of her.
</p><p>Already been there, too.
</p><p>Abigail was to stand guard while Tally widened her Sight to include the entire area they were going to. She and Tally had exchanged glances, when they heard the quiet intake of breath beside them after Tally said, "That's her."
</p><p>Now that she was actively scrying, Tally could see the active shape-shifting spell around Scylla, and she could <i>feel</i> Scylla underneath. Her Sight couldn't see Scylla's actual face underneath the spell, letting Tally know that it was probably of the Arts, making it stronger, darker, and a lot more illegal than the spells they were using inside the Military.
</p><p>"Her guards have broken off. You have a couple of minutes."
</p><p>Tally felt a hand wrap around hers and squeeze, and she noticed Abigail's hand also close around a shimmer, before the contact was gone.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>"Raelle…"
</p><p>The blonde felt her knees go weak. "Show me you."
</p><p>"I can't. The Spree-"
</p><p>"We have two minutes. There's a cloak-" Raelle shook her head, impatient, desperate. "Please. You <i>owe</i> me."
</p><p>Raelle watched the heartbreak and hurt appear in unfamiliar eyes, before she heard the click of a lighter. She almost panicked at the touch of flame to the corner of her face. But then she started to slowly burn away her current face, replaced by the on Raelle had fallen in love with.
</p><p>"I owe you more than this." Scylla had started to speak before the transformation was halfway through, conscious of the deadline Raelle mentioned. "Things are changing."
</p><p>"I know, I-"
</p><p>"And I promised myself I wouldn't lie to you anymore."
</p><p>Raelle laughed, humorlessly. "We don't have time to unpack that."
</p><p>"Your mother's alive, Raelle."
</p><p>Raelle froze, heart growing heavy, heavier than it already was, watching the last bits of ash disappear into thin air, staring at the eyes she'd spent hours just looking at, wishing she'd get to do it everyday for however long she had. "What," her voice squeaked out, confused, hurt.
</p><p>"She's alive. The Spree probably won't show that hand, yet. You won't see her in the Concord. They're probably going to keep her a secret for as long as possible, but Raelle…" Scylla wanted to pull her closer, wanted to hug her, but she didn't have the right anymore, didn't have the right to touch her. "I met her."
</p><p>Raelle went quiet, lost. Her mother. She grieved her. What was it with people she loved and dying, but somehow coming back?
</p><p>Raelle found herself barking out a laugh. "She's- Scylla, are you-"
</p><p>"Let me show you."
</p><p><i>Link with me.</i>
</p><p>"I won't look into your memories. Peer into mine. Please, Raelle, you said we don't have time."
</p><p>Raelle was reaching for her hands before she could second guess the decision.
</p><p><i>She saw flashes of a Scylla in a loose jacket, entering a nondescript neighborhood, a normal house. The people around her in various states of just <i>being</i>. They looked normal. They looked like civilians. Raelle knew they were witches who chose not to enter the Army. Chose the Spree.</i>
</p><p><i>Scylla walked through an open doorway. Raelle felt her heart leap at the smile on her face. Then she turned to the person Scylla had approached.</i>
</p><p><i>Mom.</i>
</p><p><i>"You were supposed to bring me my daughter."</i>
</p><p><i>Raelle felt the mix of emotions from Scylla upon the realization. Shock, confusion, realization. And anger, it seemed, in Raelle's behalf, before she was pulled back into the present.</i>
</p><p>"Oh goddess," Raelle rasped, swaying on her feet, unsure how to feel about the hands that had immediately come up to steady her.
</p><p>"It was why the Spree wanted you." Scylla felt herself weaken just thinking about how heartbroken Raelle had been when she screamed, <i>Why did you pick me?!</i> "She wanted you back."
</p><p>Raelle's eyes snapped back up to Scylla's and the look there had Scylla dropping her hands.
</p><p><i>You don't have the right to touch her anymore. Get a grip.</i> "I love you," her voice shook, but she went on. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you." She watched Raelle sneer at her, shaking her head. "But we're both soldiers in this war. And we're both going be to doing things we don't want to."
</p><p>"Like falling for your mark."
</p><p>Scylla took the barbed attack, but she pushed on. She didn’t know if they'd ever have a moment like this again. If the Spree wasn't going to kill her for disobeying orders. Again. "Like turning in the woman I wasn't supposed to fall in love with, but did." Scylla felt twin tears slide down her cheeks. "I chose you," she repeated, from just a few weeks ago. "I'm going to keep choosing you, Rae."
</p><p>Raelle couldn't take it anymore, couldn't take the war of emotions inside her, couldn't take the hurt and the pain and confusion, couldn't take being kept in the dark for so long, couldn't take the betrayal and the constant feeling of living in a world where she was a pawn.
</p><p>Couldn't take <i>not knowing</i>.
</p><p>She grabbed at the front of Scylla's shirt, aware of their time ticking down to seconds, aware that her fingers had scraped at Scylla's skin as she watched her wince. And she pulled her to her lips.
</p><p>She waited for Scylla to melt against her, like she always did. Waited for her lips to turn pliant. Waited for her arms to wrap around Raelle. Waited for the vulnerability that Raelle wanted to believe had always been there.
</p><p>Then Raelle lifted a hand, slid her rough fingers against Scylla's soft skin, cupping her jaw to hold her steady, to prolong the kiss.
</p><p>Then she forced a link.
</p><p>Raelle focused on herself as she easily fell into the link, having always had a knack as a Fixer.
</p><p><i>The very first thing she encountered was devastation.</i>
</p><p><i>She watched a broken Scylla cradled in Sergeant Quartermaine's arms as she screamed.</i>
</p><p><i>"No! No, no, no, please not her! Not her!"</i>
</p><p><i>The scene shifted. Scylla entering a Spree compound, taking on a mission.</i>
</p><p><i>Anacostia reminding  her, "This is dangerous, Ramshorn. They'll kill you if they catch you."</i>
</p><p><i>Her own mother, Willa, staring Scylla down. "If Alder gets wind of this, you'll be lost to us, Scylla, dear."</i>
</p><p><i>Scylla, both times, shrugging carelessly at them both. "I don't care."</i>
</p><p><i>Reckless. Withdrawn. Untamed. Lost.</i>
</p><p><i>Just like Raelle was after she thought her mother died.</i>
</p><p><i>Just like Raelle was after she thought </i>Scylla<i> died.</i>
</p><p><i>But the thought of Raelle's own mother triggered a different set of memories.</i>
</p><p><i>Of an older couple hugging Scylla. Of a younger version of Scylla giggling as the older man mussed up her hair before walking away, presumably to go to work. Of the older woman who looked a lot like her pressing a kiss to her forehead.</i>
</p><p><i>Memories of warmth. Of belonging. Of comfort. Of safety. Of </i>love.
</p><p><i>Then suddenly the older couple were both on their knees, and Raelle was looking at them from where Scylla had been, hiding behind a screen door, trembling as she pressed a shaking hand against her lips to keep herself quiet.</i>
</p><p><i>Raelle was wracked by terror, helplessness. By fear.</i>
</p><p><i>Then by an overwhelming grief at watching the only people that were hers killed right in front of her.</i>
</p><p><i>Uniformed military people had looked down at the couple on their knees, hands up, clearly already surrendering. Scylla watched several sets of scourge whips repeatedly strike them down until there was no life left in them. She heard them scream their pain, and she watched, helpless, behind a screen door charmed to keep her invisible.</i>
</p><p>Then she felt Scylla forcibly pull away from her, breaking the link.
</p><p>Raelle could still feel Scylla's lips against hers. Her own were still tingling.
</p><p>Raelle could feel that her cheeks were wet, echoes of Scylla's torment, but it was nothing to the look of pure agony still in Scylla's face. She just made Scylla relive all that.
</p><p>"Scylla…"
</p><p>Scylla gave her a shaky smile, eyes blank, resigned, hopeless, helpless, expression completely hollow. But her eyes… Her tears won't stop. "I deserved that," Scylla choked out.
</p><p>The violation. The forced intrusion into her mind.
</p><p>"Scylla."
</p><p>But Scylla was already side stepping her, and when Raelle turned, a few seconds too late, all she could see was a trail of smoke, slowly diffusing in the air.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>A couple of things!<br/>- I'm sorry it wasn't a happy reunion T-T But you'll realize this actually makes things easier for them! Maybe...?<br/>- I'm sorry. I did research late on the Spree and found out as a side note that the term Accords canonically pertains to the contract between the civilians and the Witches which required the conscription. So I'm changing the terminology for the the contract between the Army and Spree to Concord, which dOeSn'T sOuNd vErY diFferEnT hahaha but I needed to differentiate it in my head. So Concord from here on out.<br/>- lastly thanks to everyone who reassured me about plot holes. You're all very kind! I know they're there. And I overthink over them. I just... let them slide though. I'm glad you are, too! :)))))</p><p>Thank you everyone for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Affliction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Raelle regrets her decision to forcibly link with Scylla. The Concord test drives their teams and goes on its first mission.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"You regret it."
</p><p>Raelle sniffed, before lifting her hand to press the lit cigarette to her lips, ignoring Abigail.
</p><p>Abigail sighed because, of course, it only took a couple of days before Raelle picked up a vice in War College. She settled herself across from Raelle, one of her legs dangling down the fire escape. Apparently they were there in case Work silencers were being utilized and they couldn't just float down with Salva.
</p><p>And they were restricted from them, so of course Raelle hung out there.
</p><p>"I don't know how-" Raelle made vague gestures with her hand, unable to communicate the pain she'd felt while linked with Scylla.
</p><p>Abigail plucked the cigarette from Raelle's fingers, ignored the dirty look directed at her as she took a long drag. "You wanted to know if she really loved you."
</p><p>Raelle felt like flinging herself down the fire escape. "I shouldn't have done that."
</p><p>"Does she?" Abigail offered back the cigarette, blowing smoke from the corner of her lips.
</p><p>"I ripped those memories from her subconscious. Brought them out."
</p><p>"But does she really love you?"
</p><p>"What does that matter?" Raelle's voice had raised, mad at herself, but finding it easier to direct it towards Abigail.
</p><p>"Yeah, what <i>does</i> it matter?" Abigail questioned, but if Raelle was expecting to be coddled, it wasn't going to be from her. "Why did you do it then?"
</p><p>"I fucked up! I just wanted- I wanted-"
</p><p>"You wanted the clean, perfect version of her. The mysterious necro who wouldn't share anything but her best parts."
</p><p>"It's not like I found out she drools in her sleep, or- or she likes fucking pineapple on pizza, Abs! She's-" Raelle went from nearly shouting to whispering, voice coming out in hiss. "She's Spree."
</p><p>"And she didn't give you up. She could've probably died from that decision. I don't imagine the Spree as a forgiving terrorist group. Choosing to let you go instead of giving you up…"
</p><p>Raelle made an incredulous face. "Why are you on her side?"
</p><p>Abigail shrugged. "Tally seems to think there's something in there to maybe trust. And Tally's the best of us."
</p><p>"I am?" Tally stuck her head out of the window grinning widely at both of them. Raelle couldn't lie. It brightened her up looking at a smiling Tally, however minimally.
</p><p>And true to Abigail's word, Tally frowned at the cigarette held loosely between Raelle's fingers and deftly flicked it so it fell down three floors.
</p><p>"Tally," Raelle complained.
</p><p>"Those are bad for you."
</p><p>"So are Spree girlfriends," Abigail muttered.
</p><p>Tally's jaw dropped. "Abigail! We said we'd be supportive!"
</p><p>"Of Raelle. Not the Spree girlfriend."
</p><p>"Abs!"
</p><p>"You were defending her earlier," Raelle murmured, not knowing where the conversation has gone.
</p><p>"Just because she's shit doesn't mean what you did was right, Rae. Linking's extremely personal to us witches."
</p><p>"I know!" Raelle sucked in a breath, slumped where she was sat, defeated. "I know. I just wanted to know if… if anything was real. If I was stupid enough to fall for someone who actually didn't give a shit."
</p><p>She shook her head. "I was actually happy with her. I wanted it to be <i>real</i>."
</p><p>Abigail nudge her foot with hers, the most affectionate the Bellweather was gonna get with a mopey Raelle. "Now, you know it was." She tilted her head, eyes entirely too calculating. "What are you gonna do about it?"
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The Spree met the Army in Masks.
</p><p>Predictably, both groups did not trust the other enough to hold a meeting with each other's highest officials in attendance. But as a small sign of good faith, they had decided to meet up using representatives, using them to project Scries.
</p><p>"You have finally realized that we are not the enemy."
</p><p>Alder's nose flared in annoyance, but she lifted her chin up. "The Camarilla have made themselves known to us through out latest mission."
</p><p>"Your mission to gather power against us."
</p><p>"You have been killing civilians."
</p><p>The woman through the projected Scry smiled. "We have been fighting the Camarilla long before you have accepted their reemergence." Alder watched her tilt her head, eyes calculating. "You don't even know how they have come about. When. Who they are now.
</p><p>"General Alder. You have come into this meeting with nothing to offer."
</p><p>The biddy's started to tut their indignation, and Alder grit her teeth as she watched the other woman's smile widen. "Then why did you agree to this meeting?"
</p><p>"You…" The woman righted her head from its tilt, and she blinked once, slow. "You have someone we want."
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p>There was a very short list of places that it was ok to meet a Spree agent, but Anacostia decided it was safest for both of them to pick civilian places. So she picked a hole-in-the-wall eatery that looked like it wouldn't really care who came in.
</p><p>Anacostia thought she made the right decision when Scylla came in black and blue and no one cared that she did.
</p><p>"What happened?"
</p><p>"You should see the other guy."
</p><p>Anacostia grit her teeth. She knew there was going to be a price for the betrayal, and honestly, she was surprised it wasn't worse. But seeing Scylla battered and physically broken was pulling <i>something</i> out of her. In the same way, she was sure, something had made Scylla jump in front of that blast for her.
</p><p>She watched Scylla adjust herself uncomfortably, jaw tense. She had a dark bruise over her left eye, almost completely shut. Cut lip. One of her arms hanging limply to the side. Favoring one foot while she walked. The works.
</p><p>Having somewhat of a protective inclination for a Spree was not doing Anacostia's psyche any good.
</p><p>"Well then, come here-"
</p><p>Scylla stepped back, her good hand raising. "No linking."
</p><p>Anacostia rolled her eyes. "Suit yourself." She gestured to the seat in front of her. "How are you?"
</p><p>Scylla raised her eyebrows. "Are we there already?," she asked dubiously, but did sit across from the older witch.
</p><p>"I'm trying here, Ramshorn."
</p><p>"Well, I don't know why-"
</p><p>"You have no one."
</p><p>"I've had no one for a while."
</p><p>Anacostia rolled her eyes, standing. "Food?"
</p><p>"Are you my mom now?"
</p><p>"You don't want food?"
</p><p>Scylla huffed out a breath. She hadn't been allowed to eat since she'd been back. One of the recruits her age told her that the Spree hadn't been this radical, punishing members, needlessly sacrificing innocents, until something changed two years ago, around the time Scylla had been recruited. Since then, there had been an urgency with their missions.</p><p>Honestly, her punishment was like that time in the Necro basement. She slumped in the booth she was sitting, glad for the cushion despite it being lumpy, finally letting herself relax. When she looked up at Anacostia again, her eyes were without its usual defiance. "Please."
</p><p>She watched Anacostia motion to the waitress, having already seemed to order something beforehand. Scylla ate slowly despite the fact that she was starving, and she kept sneaking glances at a calm Anacostia as she did. Halfway through her meal, with Anacostia switching between observing the eatery and observing her, Scylla licked her lips, prepared to be less of a shit this time. "Why did you call me?"
</p><p>Anacostia looked up, dropping her pen, recognizing the Scylla was finally a little less defensive now. "To check up on you."
</p><p>Scylla, unlike most people who found it difficult to trust others, had no problem with maintaining eye contact. It was probably one the reasons why some people found themselves falling easily into trusting her. She wouldn't have been able to top her classes without getting people to work with her well. She looked at someone seemingly without reservation. Anacostia had spoken to her former unit, ones she'd been separated from since entering Necro, and they said while she was reserved, she had been friendly, engaging. Someone who could get along with others easily.
</p><p>No wonder the Spree picked her to lure Raelle in.
</p><p>"Two broken ribs, dislocated shoulder," Scylla gestured to the one she was refusing to move, hanging by her side, "Sprained ankle. Bruises everywhere." Scylla grinned, the cut on her lower lip reopening, and she had to lick at the little blood that oozed. "It probably didn't help that I kept mouthing off at them."
</p><p>"That's gonna get you killed eventually," Anacostia muttered.
</p><p>"Hasn't happened, yet. Seemed to get me in your favor."
</p><p>Anacostia let Scylla see her smile, rare, genuine. "Neutral favor."
</p><p>"Still."
</p><p>Anacostia leaned back from the table. "Scylla." Anacostia watched the younger woman's eyebrows raise at the sound of her name. They weren't quite at first names, yet. Anacostia seemed to struggle with what she was going to say next, the silence stretching until she found the right ones. "I'm in your favor, because I think you're fighting for the right reasons."
</p><p>Scylla raised her eyebrows in surprise. "And it doesn't matter that they've ended in civilians dying?"
</p><p>"You've been preventing deaths the past few missions."
</p><p>"Selectively," Scylla smiled, head tilting to the side. "Like playing god. I get to pick which groups of people to save."
</p><p>"At the risk to your life?"
</p><p>Scylla kept her smile up, but Anacostia saw a trace of momentary hurt in the twitch of her eyebrows, deep-seated, before Scylla could school her features again. "We all go sometime."
</p><p>Anacostia weighed her words, not knowing if she was completely prepared to stand by them, but she still said them. "You don't have to go back. Not if it puts you in more danger."
</p><p>Scylla shrugged, but Anacostia noted how her shoulders have tensed a little. Scylla had already thought about running, about leaving this life, but the Army would catch up. Her parents were proof of that. "I have nowhere else to go."
</p><p>"You were a dodger. There's always a place to go."
</p><p>"Is this another interrogation? We're missing the chains."
</p><p>"Is it just because of your parents?"
</p><p>Scylla's face shuttered, all expression dropping from her face, and Anacostia knew she'd touched on something Scylla wasn't ready to talk about, yet, if at all.
</p><p>"Thank you for the food, sergeant," Scylla said, giving a small, succinct nod, before standing up.
</p><p>She paused just before turning to go when Anacostia called her again.
</p><p>"You don't have to keep going back," Anacostia reiterated.
</p><p>Scylla raised her eyebrows, mischievous smile in place again. "And you don't have to keep subscribing to this modern day slavery." Scylla scrunched her nose, in that way that many people probably found charming. "But we all have our poisons."
</p><p>Scylla walked out without waiting for an answer, thankful there was an ally outside so she put on her Mask. She grit her teeth as she adjusted her shoulders. And she had been hoping she'd be able to ask Anacostia to reset her shoulder. She'd have to look for someone to fix it.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>While the cadets in War College were required to attend separate session according to the specialty, they still had hand to hand combat together. The Unit were sat now by the side, watching some of the witches pair up for sparring.
</p><p>"I can't believe how big a secret they're expecting us to keep."
</p><p>"You really can't believe it?" Raelle asked, as she watched Abigail take another cadet down easily, raising a hand for a high five when Abigail came back. "Where'd you learn that, Bellweather? It's like you went into a life-threatening mission, or something."
</p><p>Tally elbowed her, frowning. "It's too soon to joke about that."
</p><p>"Sorry, Tal. Anyway. It's not like civilians are privy to our business. I feel like the Accords are just a… don't ask, don't tell kind of thing," Raelle muttered, ducking a little so she won't be called by the instructor next. She still didn't know how to control whatever new skills she and Abigail had been able to pick up from the witchbomb thing. And between her and Abigail, she had a little less control over her abilities.
</p><p>"And the civilians aren't ever gonna ask if we made an alliance with the Spree, because why would we? Why would we work with people who are killing the very ones we are sworn to protect?" Abigail's voice had turned skeptical by the end of it.
</p><p>"We do what we must, Private Bellweather." They all sat up straight at the voice of one of their instructors. "Private Collar, stop hiding. Let's go."
</p><p>Raelle muttered something suspiciously like "being tiny just doesn't work at the right times" making the other two snigger, before getting up. Tally handed Abigail a bottle of water. "But… I mean, are we just going to keep the war a secret?"
</p><p>Abigail finished half the bottle before answering. "They haven't noticed anything, yet."
</p><p>"<i>We</i> didn't even notice anything. I just-" Her voice went quiet, leaning really close so she was only a couple of inches from the blaster, so only Abigail could hear. "I've been in Alder's head, ok? And she really had no idea. It actually felt like she was… in denial."
</p><p>"Craven, up. You didn't come here to gossip."
</p><p>Tally popped up from where she sat, smiled worriedly at Abigail pat to her back. Abigail's eyes panned away from her to Raelle, just in time to see the girl she was fighting with get flung backwards by what was decidedly non-hand-to-hand technique.
</p><p>"Collar! No Work!"
</p><p>Raelle was immediately beside the other girl, probably offering to heal her, Abigail thought, but the girl waved it away, and they resumed sparring.
</p><p>They really needed to get started on those private lessons so they'd stop randomly letting out bursts of power. Raelle was more prone to it, but it's happened with Abigail once or twice, too.
</p><p>She just hoped it was soon.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>One of the primary conditions set by the Military for the Accords was the safety of as many civilians as possible. It was one of the minor agreements from the Spree. They didn't care for civilians, but the Military did. But as long as the Witches could successfully take out their common enemy, then the Spree would be satisfied.
</p><p>Hence the next mission of the Spree, an apartment complex that supposedly housed Camarilla, had its goals adjusted from eliminate to infiltrate and subdue. It required gathering more intel, and sending in people before the actual mission was to take place. The Spree never risked sending in scouts because there was always a possibility of them being found out, and their targets running. But the Military wanted as little collateral damage as possible.
</p><p>And so they've trial run the mission while they've sent undercover agents to the site.
</p><p>That was why the Bellweather unit had trained and were going in with a few other handpicked cadets, and a handful of Military operatives. They were told that they were included as a sort of 'Hail Mary'.
</p><p><i>"If we ever end up in a bind, you three will-" El, one of the younger war college graduates, put her hands together, then separated them miming an explosion.</i>
</p><p>Raelle personally thought El looked like she was high 80% of the time, and that explanation kind of proved it. Abigail and her have not been able to replicate that witchbomb since coming back. And so far, all they've gotten out of that experience were nightmares. They were kind of rotating who had the worst ones every night, and who would be staying up with them. So far, Tally's had the worst of them. She used to share in Alder's 300 years of trauma.
</p><p>They weren't doing well.
</p><p>But they were included in the mission anyway, because as they've learned, utility was something the Military put a lot of weight in. Just the fact that they've sent cadets still in Basic to intercept Spree trucks showed how far Alder would go towards using whoever she needed in order to win a war. There were no exceptions.
</p><p>The plan was simple. They wait for the word from the undercover agents that the targets were in place. From the intel they gathered, the Camarilla were occupying four rooms, housing three to seven members each. They were sending in four different teams for each of the Camarilla groups, and one backup team will stay at a predetermined location outside of the complex in case something went wrong.
</p><p>The Spree had already warned that the Camarilla had ways to avoid capture, that some of their superiors had suicide pills on them. They were aware of how the Military extracted information, and only death prevented that.
</p><p>That was why two of the teams also included one Necro who would be there for information extraction for those they wouldn't be able to capture. Otherwise, they would serve as backup blasters.
</p><p>It was taking everything in Raelle not to look over where Scylla was preparing with her team.
</p><p>It was their unit's first mission where they weren't going in as a team. The first years were segregated so they were with more experienced members. The Spree were also segregated, and Raelle was painfully aware of the tension within her own when their Spree member sauntered over, sneering.
</p><p>If this didn't work, the Accords would have to restructure their missions. But if it did, both the Military and Spree would be present in all missions, affording both groups insight on whatever they encounter. They were reluctant to entrust solo missions for either. This dry run could determine if mixed missions were even possible.
</p><p>"Hey, Collar."
</p><p>Raelle sighed, because of course the Spree agent, Gio, she recalled offhandedly, would talk to her. "What."
</p><p>He bared his teeth in a taunting grin. "Good luck."
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The mission actually went very smoothly. The Spree intel already advised that there won't likely be any superiors in the group. Their captives were foot soldiers who were being held in inconspicuous spaces, probably used as reserves. The Spree had stayed in line, and were experienced enough to actually blend in with the tactics they were instructed with.
</p><p>But Gio had been given an extra task by Willa.
</p><p><i>"It's still the Camarilla, Gio. It'll be a dangerous mission. They'll be able to fight back. Scylla… do you know her?"</i>
</p><p><i>"I do," he answered slowly, unsure where the conversation was going.</i>
</p><p><i>"She's been so reckless lately. She's bound to encounter some problems. If she does…" Willa collar smiled, eyes soft, like that of his own mother who the Military had abducted from their home when he was eight. "Let it happen." Then she shrugged. "Or make it happen. I just want to know if we can still use her."</i>
</p><p><i>"It won't take much," Willa continued, leaning forward in her seat to refill his tea. "The Camarilla's suicide pill is something they bite and </i>inhale<i> instead if swallow. The powder destroys the host lungs. But one exhale produces a bastardized version of a Seed we have yet to identify. The effect is the same as their poison darts."</i>
</p><p><i>"All you have to do is draw her to him," she slides him a photo.</i>
</p><p><i>He stared at the photo, still a little confused. "If she dies, she won't be of any use to you."</i>
</p><p><i>Willa only nodded. "The way out is in."</i>
</p><p><i>That was Spree talk for trust the process. So he replied, "The way over is under."</i>
</p><p>He stood now, scourge hanging in his hand, looking through the doorways of the captured Camarilla. The Spree had purposefully withheld the information that the suicide pills were also somewhat of a self-destruct option, specifically to have him carryout this side mission. He didn't know what killing Ramshorn would do, but he didn't give a shit.
</p><p>He recognized the man, immediately, with a burn scar on the left side of his neck. He  approached him, probably efficiently taken out by one of the blasters. "Hey, I thought we had no casualties?"
</p><p>The other two in the room looked up at him while securing the other Camarilla in the room. One of them answered. "We don't."
</p><p>"Well this guy's dead. Better call Ramshorn if we wanna get any information out of him." He made a show of ducking down, pressing a finger to his neck. Strong pulse. "Probably swallowed a pill."
</p><p>"Shit. Hey, Bellweather! Get Ramshorn. We have a target down."
</p><p>It didn't take long for Scylla to arrive, and he was already moving away when she did. He wasn't told about the range of that Seed, but better he wasn't there when it was vocalized. Halfway out of the room, he hissed out an Enervate. He heard the scuffle behind.
</p><p>"Hey, what the hell, this guy's still-"
</p><p>Then a horrible sound filled the room, and when he looked behind him, Ramshorn was already falling to her side.
</p><p>"Fixers!" One of the other operatives shouted, but even they were already starting to get infected by whatever it was that pill contained.
</p><p>Gio smartly stuck himself to the wall raising his hands to indicate that this was not his job anymore, and he was letting the rest of them take over. He only smirked at that pretty redhead that came with them who had shot him a look.
</p><p>From what he was told, only Collar could heal those. And that pill must have contained something potent, because those black veins were spreading fast.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Raelle looked up at the call for Fixers, confused because there had already been a shouted confirmation that everyone was down. She peered out of the room where she was, met Tally's eyes, and knew something was wrong.
</p><p>"What is it?," she asked, already making her way over.
</p><p>"Something happened. Scylla…"
</p><p>Raelle was inside the room before Tally could finish saying her name, and she was immediately intercepted by one of her seniors. "We have a sergeant down."
</p><p>Raelle could just make out Scylla behind them, pale skin starting to get overtaken by familiar black veins that she wished weren't so familiar to her. "Let me through."
</p><p>"Private Collar-"
</p><p>Raelle grit her teeth as she shoulder checked them, and dropping down to her knees, thankful that Tally had actually followed her in, and was now sitting across from her, not minding the dead body beside her.
</p><p>"Raelle, I just wanna remind you that there are three other people affected-"
</p><p>"They'll have to wait," Raelle muttered, reaching for Scylla cheeks. Her expression turned incredulous when she felt pressure against her hands. "Do not fight me right now, Scylla," she hissed.
</p><p>Tally stood, knowing Raelle could handle this alone. "I'll go check on the others."
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just a heads up that I won't be updating as often as I did in the start. I was put on quarantine because I was exposed to a COVID patient and was presenting with flu-like symptoms. I'm thankfully negative! But that also means I'm out of quarantine and have started going on duties again. I'm probably going to be posting 1-2 chapters per week now. Hopefully.</p><p>Thank you for sticking with me!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Fractured Pieces</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aftermath of the mission. Raelle struggles with the part of her that still wants Scylla, and the part that can't let go of her betrayal.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The poison was more potent than any the Spree or the Army has encountered. It seemed like the Camarilla were still innovating with the Seeds, not necessarily able to control the effects, and they were willing to lose a few people to test them.
</p><p>It made Raelle sick to think that they were harvesting them from dead Witches.
</p><p>Raelle looked up from her place, forearms resting on her knees, and met the eyes of one of the Fixers of the other teams. She returned the glare directed at her. She currently had no emotional capacity to deal with other people. She didn't want to think about the two other women who had died because there was only one of Raelle, and four people were affected by whatever that Camarilla did, and the Affliction had spread too fast and too severely for Raelle to do anything. She had sat holding the hand of the third person she was going to try and heal that day, and she'd felt Tally's hands grip at her arms when she'd started to sway, feeling faint, the same way she had with Porter.
</p><p>And remembering Porter made her think about him dying, and Scylla possibly killing him, and-
</p><p>She wasn't in any position to process anything. She didn't know if she was ever going to be ready to think about all the changes that were happening. She had just wanted to join the Army, quickly die off in the frontlines.
</p><p>Everything was lot more complicated now.
</p><p>Not the least of which was Scylla, she thought, disengaging from the glaring contest to look back at the bed she had been beside for the past few hours.
</p><p>Raelle had cheated herself into finding out Scylla's intention by force linking with her, and she knew now that Scylla did care for her, but it didn't change the fact that Scylla was Spree, that she probably killed people in their name, that she could have killed Porter, that the main reason they even met was because Raelle was her mark. Scylla had been on her way to a Caribbean prison, but she was here. On this bed.
</p><p>Raelle had barely been able to process seeing her again, <i>kissing her again</i>, and now she was healing from an Affliction that could have killed her. She huffed out an ironic laugh at herself, feeling everything and nothing at once.
</p><p>She pushed up off her knees, shifting so she was slumped on the chair, legs extended. She turned so she was looking outside the window of the makeshift infirmary. Raelle could see nothing outside the window but trees. They weren't too far off the city, but far enough that if any Work was being done, there wouldn't be any disruptions.
</p><p> They were at a temporary base of operations for the Concord. It was a mutually chosen place borne of mutual distrust. The Spree were unwilling to disclose any of their safehouses, and the Army was loath to host the Spree somewhere most their trainees stayed. They had specifically scheduled the mission in the weekend to allow the operatives the time to recuperate.
</p><p>Raelle looked out at those trees and all she could think about was all the time she had spent with Scylla in the forest in Fort Salem. Despite knowing how strong Scylla still felt for her, it was difficult not to wonder which had been an act and which had been real. Because everything had been real for Raelle. It was the first time she'd felt truly happy since her mother died, and-
</p><p>Oh. Her mother.
</p><p>Raelle pursed her lips, overwhelmed, hating the now familiar feeling of a fullness at the back of her throat and the prickling behind her eyes. She blinked several times, trying to clear the tears out, and she huffed out a breath, letting her head go loll to the back, staring up at the cracked ceiling.
</p><p>Her tears still fell, down the side of her face into her hair, and just when she felt herself relax into this rare moment of vulnerability she was allowing herself, she heard a deep inhale from the occupant of the bed she was staying vigil at.
</p><p>She sat up immediately, hands coming up to wipe at her eyes. "Goddess," she muttered, flustered.
</p><p>"That's not what you usually call me," Scylla rasped, words a little slurred from exhaustion.
</p><p>Caught off guard, Raelle actually chuckles at that, hands pressing firmly, almost painfully against her eyes before dropping them. "Why's'it so difficult to hate you, Scyl?"
</p><p>Somehow her tears didn't stop, and honestly, <i>honestly</i> it felt a little bit like a dam breaking. She had to look away again. And she wondered why it was that it was still with Scylla that she found a space to breakdown.
</p><p>"It's probably the eyes," Scylla replied, voice weak. It broke her to see Raelle this vulnerable. She had always been so strong. It was heart-wrenching to think that she was part of the reason for those tears.
</p><p>Raelle laughed again, quiet and tired, and she shook her head. When she looked back at Scylla, for a split second, she saw her with dark creeping veins all over her skin, and she remembered how she'd slid her hands on her skin and felt only cold.
</p><p>Raelle had been terrified.
</p><p>"Scylla…" Raelle rasped, trying to find some semblance of strength somewhere, just to get through this moment. "I- I don't know where we stand." Her eyes were stuck to her own hands, so she missed how Scylla's expression fell. "I don't know what we are. I don't know how I-" Raelle looked up at her, agony in her eyes. "But… but is it ok if-"
</p><p>Raelle slowly dropped her hand on the bed, on the space between them. It took only a few seconds for Scylla to respond, shifting so she was lying on her side, before slowly sliding her own to rest on top of Raelle's.
</p><p>Raelle can't help a soft sob from escaping her lips, and she allowed herself this moment. She bent forward pressing her forehead against their joined hands, and her hand gradually tightened against Scylla's until she was firmly holding on.
</p><p>She let herself have this moment, and she let herself relax when Scylla started running her hand through Raelle's hair. Just for today.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>A loud slam reverberated through the room followed by a chorus of hisses. Alder bared her teeth at the woman on the other side of the two-sided scry.
</p><p>"You withheld vital information," Alder snarled, already on her feet.
</p><p>"What's wrong? We have captives."
</p><p>"I lost two soldiers!"
</p><p>"What's two in the grander scheme of things? I heard you recently resurrected two, actually."
</p><p>Alder's nostrils flared before she sat back down. "This will not work if you keep inserting your own agenda into our collective mission."
</p><p>"What agenda?" The woman on the screen laughed. "Perhaps it was a test. If the Army is even in the same shape as it had been during the first war. If it still has what it takes to take down what threatened to burn it so many years ago."
</p><p>The woman on the scry settled comfortably on her back, hands clasping in front of her. "There's a lesson somewhere in there, General. Through the years of you allying yourself with people who will always have hate inside of them for people who are different.
</p><p>"You missed <i>all</i> the signs," she continued, punctuating each words, speaking slowly. "And you still want to protect them."
</p><p>Three hundred years. Alder had held the fort for that long and things have been quiet until the Spree. And then the Camarilla reemerged. "You prey on the innocent."
</p><p>"We prey on the volatile." The woman shook her head. "No matter. You have an abundance of what we need for this war. Foot soldiers to die readily for the cause."
</p><p>"They die so that others don't have to."
</p><p>"They die so <i>you</i> don't have to." The woman laughed at the rage and indignation on Alder's face, and then she waved a dismissive hand as if to say that they needed to set the joking aside. "General. You've outlined your goals for our next steps. I actually agree with you on them. And as you know, there will be more casualties as this war wages.
</p><p>"I suggest you start thinking like a leader of the Witches, and start protecting your own at the expense of people who would turn on you the moment they can."
</p><p>"This war is the only reason we are not hunting you down," Alder threatened.
</p><p>"Yes, I know," the woman responded, smiling sadly. "While our main mandate has always been protect all Witches."
</p><p>"And we protect all people," Alder countered. "We do not have dissonant goals."
</p><p>"Perhaps not," the woman conceded. Then she waved her hand again, already finding the conversation redundant. "We will meet again in three days. We have heard news of the Camarilla obtaining information about a secret weapon in your midst. A special witch. We ally ourselves with you in the hopes that you will put all your efforts into protecting this one asset. The Camarilla will be gunning for her next."
</p><p>Alder exhaled sharply as the Scry ended, glared at the empty wall as her biddies tutted around her. She was losing control of this war. She might have to resort to drastic measures again to try and keep it.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Gio was back in the sitting room where he'd been called right before the mission. He knew the risks of what he did, and he was glad all but Ramshorn had been pulled out right after the mission, otherwise he knew that redhead who saw him close the triggered Affliction would call for him to be questioned.
</p><p>"So?"
</p><p>Gio looked away from a stack of books on the table between them towards Willa, former Army and one of the best Fixers in the Spree. He didn't know what the stakes were for the Spree where Ramshorn was concerned, but he believed in the cause. If whatever they were doing could take down the Army in the future, then he was all for it. What was one member's death compared to the success of all Witches?
</p><p>He shrugged. "She's injured, but she's gonna be fine. Is that what you wanted to happen?"
</p><p>Willa hummed, leaning back on the couch she occupied right across from him. "Who healed her?"
</p><p>"Some blonde amateur, her former mark. Collar? I can't believe they let someone that young be the point person for Fixing."
</p><p>Willa raised her eyebrows. She had already heard rumors about Raelle's abilities. Hearing it confirmed from one of them made her feel something she hadn't felt in a long time. Pride. "Did she really?"
</p><p>"It took a bit. She couldn't save everyone. That pill was strong and it worked fast." Gio snorted out a laugh. "One of her superiors was pissed when she healed Ramshorn first, though. Ramshorn really did a number on her if Collar's still at her beck and call."
</p><p>Willa smiled, looking satisfied. "Well. Thank you, Gio. You did well."
</p><p>Gio shrugged. What he did was the least of the things he'd already done for the Spree. He didn't know why he was being commended for this one thing in particular.
</p><p>When Gio left, Willa looked out of the window of the sitting room, eyes unfocused. If despite Scylla's betrayal, exposed by her recklessness in the Army base, Raelle was still protecting her over other Army members, then the young Spree agent was of use to her, yet. Scylla had been insolent the past few weeks. Their last botched mission that ended with the death of one of their more promising members had their Elders doubting the young witch's allegiance.
</p><p>But the Spree were a little more careful about keeping members who still had utility. As long as Raelle wasn’t safely within the Spree, Willa was willing to use everything at her disposal to sway her daughter away from the Army.
</p><p>And young as she was, misguided emotional connections were going to be easy tools of manipulation.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Abigail and Tally looked up from fixing their things as their door opened and closed to reveal a disheveled Raelle, rubbing at her neck. Abigail raised her eyebrows, zipping her bag shut.
</p><p>"Walk of shame on a mission?"
</p><p>Raelle actually huffed out a laugh, before looking up, showing Abigail her red eyes, and dark eyebags from crying so much the night prior. "It was a party."
</p><p>The Blaster offered her a sympathetic smile. "Start packing. We have a fifteen minute debriefing then we're going back to base."
</p><p>"We can't spend the entire weekend here?"
</p><p>"It's not a rest house."
</p><p>Tally rummaged in her bag and offered Raelle a protein bar. "Breakfast!"
</p><p>"Thanks, Tal," she mumbled opening it and taking a bite, then kept it between her teeth as she fixed the belongings she'd brought for the mission.
</p><p>"So, uh…" Tally prodded, sharing a look with an amused Abigail. "Did you talk?"
</p><p>"No," Raelle replied, checking the straps of her backpack, before slinging it over one shoulder. When she turned around, she was met with raised eyebrows. "No," Raelle said, more emphatically.
</p><p>"You should have, Rae," Tally intoned, holding the door open for all of them.
</p><p>"She was unconscious for most of the time I was there."
</p><p>"So why did you go?" Abigail asked, raising a hand in greeting to one of their seniors she worked with yesterday.
</p><p>"Why are you all up on my ass about this all the time?" Raelle didn't stop herself from checking around for Scylla once they entered the briefing room. She'd left before the brunette had woken up, to avoid whatever awkward non-conversation they had.
</p><p>"Because it's distracting you. You were pining a few months ago, too, but at least you were having sex and improving your performance. Now you're just pining."
</p><p>"Jesus," Raelle muttered, giving up on looking for her ex-girlfriend upon realizing that the other Spree were also missing for the debriefing.
</p><p>"Soldiers." Everyone automatically settled down. "I am to extend congratulations from General Alder for a successful mission yesterday. It was our very first joint mission with the Spree and it had gone smoother than expected." Her voice became more quiet. "She also extends her condolences for our fallen comrades. These are difficult times, and we do go into missions hoping we all come out of it alive, but… we always expect the worst.
</p><p>"They will be honored tomorrow at Fort Salem."
</p><p>They were packed into the vans they came here with, and they were quiet for the entire trip back, heavy with the reminder that they had lost two people during the mission. Raelle felt especially burdened. The briefing prior to the mission, the other soldiers were prompted that so far, this first year cadet was the only known Fixer who could cure the Affliction. They hadn't banked on the severity.
</p><p>She had felt herself trembling when she reached for the third Afflicted. They weren't breathing anymore. But she had reached for their hand, hoping there was still something left to save. There hadn't.
</p><p>Tally had kept a firm hand on her knee the entire way back, knowing where her thoughts had gone after the debriefing.
</p><p>Raelle had only been in her room for a few minutes before she heard a knock on her door. She sighed, not wanting to do anything but sleep on an actual bed after spending it hunched over her… over Scylla. But she still dragged herself to her door to answer it.
</p><p>When she opened it and saw Abigail, she turned, leaving her door open. "Sorry, Abs. But I'm not really in any shape for anything. I just kinda wanna pass out."
</p><p>"I won't be long." Abigail closed the door. 
</p><p>Raelle noted that this was the most hesitant Abigail had been since she'd known her. Abigail always held herself with a confidence that only someone who knew what they were doing and they knew it could. She wasn't shy about her abilities, and she never backed down from anything.
</p><p>And she'd been willing to die for Raelle.
</p><p>"Listen, Rae." Abigail took the desk chair, facing Raelle who had been polite enough to keep herself upright. "I know it's sounded like I've just been nagging you about the Scylla thing, but this thing you're doing, holding on to her but also not… it's not good."
</p><p>Raelle rolled her eyes, deciding this conversation wasn't worth sitting up for, so she plopped down on her back. "I won't screw up War College, all right."
</p><p>"I'm not talking about War College."
</p><p>"Oh yeah?"
</p><p>It was Abigail's turn to roll her eyes. "I'm not. Listen. We don't talk about it-"
</p><p>"You seem to be willing to do a lot of talking."
</p><p>"-but I did feel everything you did, ok? We linked."
</p><p>Raelle muttered a curse before pulling the pillow under her head over her face. Abigail hissed her own curse, moving from the chair to sitting on the bed beside the person she'd wanted to trade off early on Basic. She wouldn't trade her or Tally for anyone now.
</p><p>"Rae. I know you still love her."
</p><p>Raelle pulled the pillow off of her face roughly, slapping it over her side before sitting up, moving away from Abigail. "And what do you want me to do about it, Abigail, huh?!"
</p><p>Abigail stood from the bed, allowing Raelle her space, but she didn't leave. "I want you to decide what you're going to do about it!"
</p><p>"Then what do you think I should do? Since apparently you're an expert on relationships now."
</p><p>Abigail pulled herself up, readying herself for Raelle blowing off on her. "I think if you really don't want to be with her anymore, then start moving on."
</p><p>Raelle laughed, humorlessly, looking away from her looming friend, feeling cornered. "It's not that easy."
</p><p>"Or if you wanna be with her, then fucking get her back."
</p><p>Raelle's neck snapped so fast toward Abigail, the latter would have laughed if they weren't talking about something that seemed to have Raelle's sanity anchored somewhere outside of her body.
</p><p>Raelle gulped, unsure if she heard right. "What?"
</p><p>"Ramshorn's obviously not completely into this Spree thing if she's catching blasts for Anacostia. And if she really didn't give you up, then maybe she's not, I don't know, completely indoctrinated, or something."
</p><p>Raelle shook her head, then ducked it. "She killed Porter, Abigail. Probably killed more."
</p><p>"And we killed innocents on that truck." Abigail raised her arms to allay Raelle's protests when her head snapped back up. "I know it's not the same, but- We're all soldiers in this war."
</p><p>Raelle felt her resolve weaken at Scylla's words being echoed by Abigail. They were really not all that different. "Why are you telling me this?
</p><p>"'Cause I know it's hard to believe, shitbird, but I actually want you to be happy."
</p><p>Raelle felt herself smile, small and still not completely reaching her eyes, but at least it was there. "You give shit pep talks."
</p><p>Abigail laughed. "It's not a pep talk. It's a get your ass moving talk, because seeing you moping brings us all down. Even Tally was quiet earlier."
</p><p>Raelle sighed, but kept up the smile. "Yeah. Sorry about that."
</p><p>"What was that?"
</p><p>"I said fuck you, Abigail."
</p><p>Abigail laughed again, before shaking her head. "Yeah, yeah. I’m going."
</p><p>Before she got to the door, Raelle called out to her again. "Hey, Abs."
</p><p>She hummed her response, already opening the door.
</p><p>"Do you still feel that vibrating thing?"
</p><p>Abigail closed the door again, mood going somber. "Yeah. Why?"
</p><p>"Did you notice anything weird in that room, where that Camarilla activated that suicide pill? I was too far away."
</p><p>Abigail leaned back against the door, looking down at her shoes, before looking back up. "Yeah. That other Spree agent, the guy? I still can't really pinpoint spells, like… I can't identify them just from the vibrations. But," she pursed her lips. "He did use a spell right before everything went down."
</p><p>"You think he had anything to do with it?"
</p><p>"I don't know. All the possible witnesses were inside the room, and they haven't been able to question Sergeant Io, yet." Abigail frowned. "He did seem to make his way out of the room fast, like maybe he was expecting the Affliction. I don't know. There's too little information to go on."
</p><p>"Yeah," Raelle agreed. And she herself was too busy worrying about Scylla that entire time to think about the Affliction and what had triggered it.
</p><p>Abigail left after that, saying Tally and she were waking Raelle up for dinner, and Raelle had only mumbled that maybe she would.
</p><p>But she didn't end up falling asleep, thoughts consumed by what she and Abigail had talked about.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thank you to everyone who wished me well!<br/>@RayllaEndgame, I did notice that I was kinda maybe torturing Scylla too much. T-T I noticed late. So last chapter's probably gonna be the last physical torture in a while. Need to give her a psychological break.<br/>@RagnarWolf Definitely trying to give the Spree some dimensions. Not trying to make terrorism look good! But I wanted to give them a reason for upping their methods, you know?<br/>@smookey Scylla is definitely alone right now, and not entirely welcoming of Anacostia's efforts to help her. You'll see why in the next few chapters!</p><p>Next update will probably be this weekend. Thank you for reading!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Beyond the Veil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Tally's abilities stretch a little. Then Raelle tries to find a way to talk to Scylla.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She'd had visions since she was nine.
</p><p>They always started like normal dreams, or how she imagined normal people had them. Flashes of familiar images that she'd barely be able to remember when she woke up. They were bizarre, like normal things she'd see everyday tweaked in the most out of place way possible.
</p><p>Then the visions would swallow the images up.
</p><p>They were never clear, and they weren't always significant. Sometimes it was just the color of a gift she would receive, the vague feeling of joy she knew would come in the near future. The out of reach quality had always been a comfort. Tally liked the idea of not completely knowing what was coming.
</p><p>She didn't have sharp sensory visions until she reached the age of fifteen. They didn't come often, and only when she was really tired, unguarded. She thought it was because throughout the years, she'd developed a subconscious way of suppressing them to alleviate the stress that she always felt upon waking up, regardless of the nature of the dream. So they were unclear, but almost consistently there when she was younger. But now they were seldom, but clearer, starker.
</p><p>She remembered the feeling of pride as she saw the burning medal in her dreams two weeks before conscription. It had nothing compared to what she felt when she actually held that medal in her hand, still warm from the small burst of Work.
</p><p>But ever since arriving at Fort Salem, the visions have increased, and they've become immersive.
</p><p>She could still remember the first one. The dark quality, the cool but windy atmosphere, the shadows looming over her intimidating but somehow she knew it wouldn't be menacing. It felt like it was a part of her. She had woken up with goosebumps all over her body, and the ghost of the feeling of accomplishment deep in her bones. A few days later, their unit united for the first time to showcase their collective prowess.
</p><p>She offhandedly mentioned it to Abigail and Raelle once, and she thought maybe they dismissed it, but she kept her second vision entirely to herself. The vision had been intense. Low lighting spread all around her, sweat clinging to her skin, her breaths coming fast and hard. Her body had sung, spent but satisfied. When she woke up, she was sweating, and she could still feel skin against hers, just as sweaty, the strong grip around her waist, the heavy weight against her hips. Raelle had checked up on her in the morning, because apparently she'd cried out before waking. She was sure she couldn't help the blush on her cheeks when she answered that she was fine. She met Gerit the very next day.
</p><p>She's had a few more that were like the ones she experienced while she was younger, ones she only realized were happening once she was experiencing it. Out of context visual memories. The face of one of the hostages. Raelle's look of betrayal that she didn't know would be directed at her. Gerit's look of guilt hovering over her. But after the sex vision--and she still felt herself blush thinking about it--she'd sought out Sergeant Quartermaine for help. The drill sergeant discretely referred her to one of their Knowers, and Tally learned how to somewhat keep them less overwhelming.
</p><p>The exercises weren't enough to keep her from seeing the fire.
</p><p>It had started with a distorted memory of their team building during the first few weeks. She had met up with Abigail and Raelle after her training with the other Knowers earlier that day, and their conversation and somehow turned towards reminiscing about Basic. So her dreams had been filled with crawling in mud and climbing obstacles. She was somehow floating down using Salva from the top of an obstacle when she heard the first scream.
</p><p>The images then seemed to get sucked into the middle of her visions, flashing by her, as if on fast forward, then suddenly she could smell the acrid smell of burning flesh. It was dark. She was familiar with the place. She had a feeling it wasn't supposed to be this dark even at night. There should be porch lights left open, lights at the periphery of houses, lights from the streets spilling through into the houses.
</p><p>Smoke, she realized. That was why it was so dark. She couldn't see for more than a few feet in front of her, so she tried to turn, to look for an exit, and she saw through a broken window.
Hot, she thought, suddenly filled with panic. It was hot, and it was getting harder and harder to breathe. She stared through the broken window and when she blinked, she was suddenly outside.
</p><p>Everything was on fire. All the houses she could see. She could see a gathering of people to her right, a lot less than she expected, but she didn't know yet why she knew there should have been more of them. She watched them move their hands together, then simultaneously flipped their hands so their palms were up.
</p><p>Witches, she thought as if in realization, even as she already knew they were so. She knew them, she thought. As the first deluge of rain fell to start dousing the fires, she saw a body through one of the houses across from where she came. She was suddenly beside them, her. The body had long hair, auburn, lithe frame, probably her height. She was sprawled on a couch, neck extended. Everything was burning around her, the chairs, the cabinets, the walls. And her throat, Tally, realized, was slit open.
</p><p>Tally woke up with a cry. She was already crying, she noted distractedly, as she stumbled out of her bed, hitting her knee as she did. She barely felt the impact as she pushed herself up and flung herself forward. Her instinct was to go to the room three doors from her.
</p><p>"Abi! Abigail! Abigail!" She pounded on the door, ignored the shouted protests from someone in their corridor. "Abigail, please!"
</p><p>She fell forward when the door opened, and despite how drowsy Abigail probably was, the Blaster caught easily. "Tally. What is it, what-"
</p><p>"Something terrible happened! I- I saw-"
</p><p>"Saw?" Abigail seemed to wake up some more at that. She'd gone from doubting everything about her team to completely trusting in their abilities, and she knew from Tally's accounts that she sometimes saw things before they happened.
</p><p>She pulled Tally inside, and saw Glory stepping out from her own room looking tired, but worried, about to approach. "Get Raelle," Abigail ordered. Then she glared at another person who tried to peek outside of their room to see what was going on. "Mind your business." She slammed her door closed with a small burst of wind, arms still around Tally. She already had a knack for controlling wind bursts so early in her training.
</p><p>She directed Tally to her bed, sat her down, before walking over to her desk to get her water bottle she always kept there. "What did you see, Tal?"
</p><p>"Home," Tally choked out, tears rolling down her cheeks. "It was burning."
</p><p>"And you're sure it wasn't-"
</p><p>"I was burning. Everything was so hot. There was smoke everywhere, I-" Her mind receded, her arms went numb, and now familiar, excruciating chest crushing feeling overwhelmed her.
</p><p>Then suddenly there were hands on her burning cheeks. "Tally," Abigail said firmly. "Breathe."
</p><p>And that's how Raelle found them, Tally hyperventilating while Abigail was trying to keep her from passing out.
</p><p>But they had learned their lesson. Abigail and Tally trying to Fix any of the three of them to calm them down from a panic attack only made them absorb the imbalances, making them anxious for hours. They didn't know yet why it was different for Raelle, but the Fixer was never the same after Fixing them.
</p><p>So Raelle murmured a thanks to Glory for waking her up, telling her to go back to sleep, before she slid on the floor to end up beside Abigail, in front of Tally. She held up on of her hands for Tally to take, having made a personal pact with herself to allow other people to reach for her instead of her doing it to allow them the choice of linking with her. Force linking with Scylla had shaken her more than she thought it would.
</p><p>She didn't bother asking about what had happened. As first years from the batch of trainees who had gone into combat before they even finished Basic, the three of them weren't the only cadets who suffered from trauma. Some nights were just worse than others, and some people were more affected than others.
</p><p>Raelle sandwiched Tally's hand between hers when Tally finally gave up her hand. She was shaking, hand clammy, and she wasn't looking at Raelle. Abigail still had her face in her hands, trying to calm her down with words, but as a Knower who sometimes didn't realize how good she actually was, Abigail knew that Tally was probably still feeling echoes of the emotions of the people she'd unintentionally scried.
</p><p>It didn't take long for Tally to calm down once Raelle started Fixing her, and Raelle wasn't surprised that she was barely able to pick up anything from Tally through their Link. She realized a few Fixing sessions ago that if Tally's mind was deeply entrenched in a scry, Raelle didn't pick up on it. Images from a Scry weren't the Knower's, so they were something that couldn't be seen through a Link.
</p><p>Despite Tally calming down, her tears were still there. "We need to tell someone."
</p><p>Abigail grit her teeth, knowing how skeptical everyone was of the three first years who kept making themselves known through their involvement with General Alder and the last mission. But if what Tally saw was real, then real people were in trouble. Tally's family, Abigail thought. So she nodded and stood.
</p><p>"I'll call a senior."
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>"It's always you three."
</p><p>Abigail was the only one who looked slightly contrite. Sergeant Anacostia Quartermaine was in full uniform despite the hour and it just felt somehow worse to have disturbed her while they were still in their sleepwear. Abigail was the only one who was at least in jogging pants.
</p><p>Tally was still in a bit of a shock. She had been reassured that her mother was all right, but that her village really was attacked by the Camarilla. She had seen the events as they unfolded, and Sergeant Solace, the most skilled Knower on Base, explained that the reason she unintentionally Scried was her connection with her mother.
</p><p>Nine dead with all of their throats slashed, their voice boxes removed with surgical precision, just like the Bellweathers. So Tally was understandably still staring off somewhere behind Anacostia. Her mind was a muddle of the scry and the unclear but undoubtedly present memories from Alder, of fires from centuries, decades prior, of witches burning, killed because of hatred. Tally was feeling none of her idealism, and all of General Alder's cynicism at the moment. She didn't know what to think or feel. So for the moment, she chose not to.
</p><p>Raelle had one of her hands on Tally's lower back, silently supporting her. She was looking ahead, too, but her mind was on several different things at once, not the least of which was the attack on Tally's home village. But there was also a niggling thought at the back of her mind that she couldn't seem to shake.
</p><p>"We're trying to lay low as instructed, Sergeant," Abigail intoned, voice clear despite how tired they all were. The sky to their right was starting to lighten, dawn slowly approaching, which meant they only had a couple of hours before their classes started.
</p><p>Anacostia kept her face stoic, but she nodded, noting how tired the three were. They've certainly gone through more than cadets their age. "See to it that you keep doing that. I know that the role you've been given is a heavy burden." These three and her one Spree charge were collectively wearing her down. "Take Private Craven back. You still have a few hours to rest before your classes."
</p><p>"And please," Anacostia directed a stern look at the three of them at this, "Refrain from causing any trouble leading up to and during the event in two weeks."
</p><p>Abigail answered for all of them, acknowledging their dismissal, then brushed her own hand over Tally's upper back to have her start moving, figuring she wasn't all there, yet.
They were almost out, Raelle bringing up the rear, when the blonde stopped, letting the other two get ahead of her. She swallowed, before murmuring a "You go ahead" to which Abigail responded with an exasperated look, but let her go.
</p><p>Raelle did a sudden about face, slowly closing the door behind her so she was alone with the sergeant, then she steeled herself.
</p><p>"Sergeant."
</p><p>Anacostia had already started to look up when she heard the door closing, and she found herself feeling weary. There was only one reason why Raelle would stay, one common reason between the two of them that made both of them do things that were against their very principles.
</p><p>"Yes, private. I hope this is more important than both of us getting more rest for tonight."
</p><p>She was, Raelle thought. They both knew it. Otherwise, neither of them would be going at great lengths to protect her.
</p><p>"I just want to see her."
</p><p>Anacostia wanted to take a seat, because while worrying about Raelle's unit was stressful, at least she knew they were mostly on base. Scylla was on enemy territory most of the time, and Anacostia only had weekly checkins with her. The required ones, and Scylla was loathe to comply with them. So Anacostia found a way to know some part of Scylla's routine.
Anacostia stayed on her feet, clasping her hands behind her. "Why?"
</p><p>Raelle felt herself shrug, dropping the useless stance of being at attention, knowing her being in thin shorts and just a shirt was already putting her at a vulnerable state. "I'm worried about her."
</p><p>"She's healthy," Anacostia allowed. "Your Fixing her made sure of that."
</p><p>Raelle shook her head. "That's not what I meant."
</p><p>"Private Collar. It would be more prudent for you to keep your distance from anyone outside of the Army during this time of conflict. While the Concord is keeping a tenuous truce between the Army and the Spree-"
</p><p>"But she isn't Spree. Not really."
</p><p>"Private-"
</p><p>"She saved you."
</p><p>Anacostia took a breath, that sacrifice weighing heavily on her. It was dumb luck that the injury wasn't worse. She was aware that she could very easily have caught a dead body instead of a writhing former Cadet, obviously in pain. She wanted to believe the best in Scylla and saving her weighed heavily in favor of that, but Scylla had a history of killing more people than Anacostia thought she ever would in her lifetime. It was a difficult thing to consider.
</p><p>"She did."
</p><p>"So you owe her," Raelle bravely, recklessly responded.
</p><p>"And I owe her you?" Anacostia shot back, without missing a beat.
</p><p>Raelle visibly deflated. "No, I-"
</p><p>"You're an asset, Private, whether or not you want to be. General Alder would have you watched 24/7 if it didn't spread our dwindling resources too thin."
</p><p>Resources, Raelle thought. They were always only gonna be utility to the Military, and she hated it.
</p><p>So Raelle let herself sink into her feelings for Scylla, tired as she already was from lack of sleep and the drain of being thrust into a war she wasn't supposed to be a part of yet.
</p><p>She thought of Scylla, bouncing between groups who didn't care about her, driven only by vengeance and then by-
</p><p>"She has no one."
</p><p>"She isn't your-"
</p><p>"She is," Raelle interjected. She knew under normal circumstances she'd be punished for this, for repeatedly interrupting a superior, for talking back. But she couldn't be written up for something they both weren't supposed to be talking about. And honestly, it was also because Scylla always made her feel reckless. "She is," she repeated.
</p><p>"And she's yours, too," Raelle continued. "If she wasn't, you wouldn't go out of your way to look out for her."
</p><p>The only outward sign of Anacostia's distress was the corner of her lip twitching. Raelle almost missed it.
</p><p>The silence stretched, neither of them backing down, then Anacostia rounded the table of her office, unclasping her hands so they were hanging by her sides. "Do you know where your grave is, Private?"
</p><p>For a second, Raelle thought it was a macabre threat, but then she realized that she did have a grave, where an empty coffin had once been lowered during the twin funerals for her and Abigail. All the Bellweathers had attended for her friend. Only her father attended for her. Tally wasn't able to give either of their eulogies, because she was still a biddy during the funeral.
</p><p>"There, on the day of your funeral, then weekly since the day you were lost, sometimes other days, too. And during the most ungodly hours."
</p><p>Raelle was already nodding.
</p><p>"Do not get caught, Private."
</p><p>"I won't," Raelle responded quickly.
</p><p>Anacostia nodded, then dismissed her with a wave of her hand. She wouldn't, Anacostia thought. It was uncharacteristic of her, but getting to know Scylla blurred the hard lines of her beliefs. She was younger than most of her peers, so she was a little more open to change. And meeting a victim of the Military's laws that few had thought to question had changed something crucial in her.
</p><p>She believed in the Military, but she had also always thought it wasn't infallible. Maybe starting with helping one former cadet would help her realize where the cracks were. Then she'd start working from there.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>"It will be good for morale."
</p><p>Alder held herself in her usual pulled up posture, shoulders back, chin raised. It was already late in the day, but in her three hundred years of life, ever since she signed the Accords, she almost felt like she'd never dropped her shoulders once. She was perpetually held together, and only having her biddies made sure she wasn't as prone to mental and emotional fatigue as the normal witch.
</p><p>She worried about the upcoming Military event now, only in the presence of one her most trusted confidantes. Izadora stood a few feet from her, also looking out of the terrace of her office, both having had worked late almost daily due to the current conflicts looming over the witch community.
</p><p>She raised her chin slightly, never one to show weakness, but she voiced out one of her concerns. "I agree. But it will be dangerous."
</p><p>Izadora nodded her head, looking back at the very foundation of the witch military for the past few hundred years. "As will all other events we have and will hold. We have already tightened the security. And we have… unprecedented allies as additional manpower."
</p><p>If there was ever anything that could make Alder's hard shell show cracks, it was the mention of the groups currently threatening the peace she had so carefully built all these years. She knew it was necessary to include the Spree as part of the security team, dressed as civilians during the upcoming Military Ball, especially because of the threat of the Camarilla hanging over them all. Alder was loathe to admit that currently, the Spree knew the Camarilla more than the Military did, and so they would benefit from the known terrorist group's presence.
</p><p>She nodded her head now, her entire countenance clear of her stress, but Alder still worried over the event. It was a yearly celebration held jointly by the witches and the humans to reinforce the relationship between the races. And with the Ball, there were usually several large events and parades all over the country. It was a national holiday.
</p><p>But the most vulnerable site would be the Ball where high ranking officials of both peoples would be attending. Alder was banking on the Camarilla fighting for all humans, like how the Spree vowed to protect all witches, but she didn't know enough about them to assume anything.
</p><p>It was a moot point wondering about it now. The council had already decided for going through with the event. Tradition was something that was very important for them, and it would take no less than an all out war to stop it. 
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I died this weekend because of a 36 hour duty. Weekly updates might be more possible during Tuesdays. Might. We'll see!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Among the Dead</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The graveyard bares their truths.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p><i>~Flashback: a couple of days after the funeral for Raelle and Abigail~</i>
</p><p>Scylla stiffened when she felt a heavy cloth drape over her, arms curling tighter around her bent legs pressed to her chest, and she only relaxed and realized it was actually a thick blanket when she saw Anacostia settle down beside her. She didn't even hide her tears as she did, lips effortlessly pulling up into a smirk, but her eyes were lifeless. "Getting soft on me, I see."
</p><p>Anacostia sniffed, her own eyes a little shiny with what maybe tears, but Scylla new her to be harder than most people. "Collar's stubborn enough to linger if I don't attempt to take care of you."
</p><p>Scylla felt all of her weaken, and her smirk dropped. "Rae hates me," she whispered, and Anacostia had the distinct feeling that it wasn't said to her. Scylla felt twin tears slide down her cheeks. It felt like they hadn't stopped since she found out. "I'm so angry, 'Cos."
</p><p>Anacostia rolled her eyes at the nickname because the first time she heard it, she repeated the strangulation spell she'd used on Scylla that one time in the infirmary. And the former Necro had actually ended up laughing after she released the Spell. But she let it slide for now. Because they were sitting on the freshly upturned dirt on top of the grave of the girl Scylla had apparently fallen in love with despite having orders to deliver her to the Spree.
</p><p>What a mess, Anacostia thought.
</p><p>"It's a war, Ramshorn."
</p><p>"Yeah." Scylla's voice turned hard. "And the Army has no shortage of sacrificial puppets. And, yet..." Scylla shook her head, fisting damp earth in her hands.
</p><p>"What did they promise you, Scylla?"
</p><p>Scylla's loud laugh carried through the cemetery, then faded out, lost in the night. "An expert on preying on the vulnerable, I see."
</p><p>"I want to understand." I want to help, Anacostia thought, watching the young woman wiping messily at her tears.
</p><p>Scylla turned her headblips stretched in that perpetual smile she wore as a mask, eyes red and face puffy from crying for the past two days. "So do I."
</p><p>Scylla stared at Anacostia for a long time, gauging. If the sergeant hadn't been doing this for years already she would have squirmed. But she held that calculating stare, much too old for someone under the age of 20.
</p><p>Finally, Scylla broke the silence, feeling all her walls come down. She didn't see the point in keeping them up. She didn't see the point in doing anything actually. She thought she'd finally found something to live for. Knowing they were on borrowed time had done nothing for how fast or how intense she had been overwhelmed by Raelle. But here she was. Broken. Again.
</p><p>"I was finally thinking about giving it up," Scylla admitted, smile wobbling. "I held on to this cause as a way to hold on to the memories of my parents. And..." Her hand came up, traced the letters of Raelle's name on the tombstone, cold against her fingertips. "And I thought I found a reason to stop."
</p><p>Scylla's hand dropped to the damp earth again. "I asked her to run away with me." She closed her eyes, remembered the way Raelle's eyes had turned somber, as they always did when they talked about the conscription. "She said nowhere would be safe."
</p><p>When she reopened them, she stared at the vast field of tombstones and felt her heart constrict. 
</p><p>At least they had bodies to bury. Her parents' bodies were taken as trophies.
</p><p>The Military would back for her in the house they had used as a refuge the past couple of weeks. Scylla would have already run by then, leaving behind an oblivious boyfriend.
</p><p>While Raelle's body…
</p><p>"Raelle died protecting the Tarim."
</p><p>"Against our common enemy," Scylla agreed, nodding slowly. "After years of the Spree fighting this war alone, you're finally catching up."
</p><p>Anacostia had no words for that. The Military had been blind to the Camarilla. It was too late before they realized that they were fighting a war in two fronts and they were losing. Badly. They were getting decimated by the Spree through their set up traps and calculated terrorist attacks, and their ranks were being assaulted by the Camarilla. The Camarilla had banked on their ignorance. On General Alder's arrogance, refusing to believe on the reemergence of an enemy she had thought she already destroyed. The Military's cracks were widening and it seems like their leader had let it.
</p><p>But Anacostia didn't let herself get sidetracked. She was having her own internal existential crisis over the leadership of the Army, but she was currently trying to keep just one witch from going off the rails. And as she watched the almost steady stream of tears from Scylla's eyes while the young woman stared at the grave of the last thread of hope she'd found in a world that had already taken so much from her, Anacostia thought, that if she could save her, she'd have done some good.
</p><p>"Raelle was stubborn." Anacostia's voice was firm. "But she fought until the end."
</p><p>"She shouldn't have had to."
</p><p>"You shouldn't have to either."
</p><p>Scylla grit her teeth, ready to lash out, feeling unhinged from all the pain that just wouldn't stop.
</p><p>But Anacostia talked over her wild, raging thoughts. "But you still will. And I think you should fight for something-" She turned her head a little, calculating her words. "Someone." The sergeant thought back to the spitfire that had been Raelle, and she found herself with no small amount of grief. "She had fought for the innocent."
</p><p>"Because you ordered her to!"
</p><p>"Don't insult her memory by assuming she had only blindly followed."
</p><p>Scylla was on her feet in a flash, and for a split second, she hovered threateningly over the drill sergeant, but Anacostia followed, matching Scylla's anger with her own temperance, borne of years of training. She was no stranger to pain, and she knew she had once been like Scylla.
</p><p>The ground was already starting to vibrate from Scylla's barely restrained emotions, but the wind that had been nearly constant in the field had slowed, the soft patter of the rain stilling in the air, because of Anacostia's calm.
</p><p>"How. Dare. You," Scylla ground out.
</p><p>"Raelle was following orders, yes, but she believed in helping and protecting the vulnerable." Anacostia pulled herself to her full height, expression turning hard. "She tried to help Porter knowing it could endanger her own life."
</p><p>Scylla had sacrificed so much of herself trying to follow through with her need for revenge. The decision to eliminate Porter had been at the top of her list of regrets, and it was no short list.
</p><p>But she already thought she had lost herself into the cause, and the Spree tactics had been working. The relationship between the Military and the civilians was fraying, the already present distrust between two very different people exacerbated by the attacks.
</p><p>Scylla had been in the thick of it.
</p><p>What was one more life?
</p><p>Scylla didn't know what it said about her that the worst part of what she had done was that it had endangered Raelle's life. Everything else was secondary to Raelle.
</p><p>And now she was gone.
</p><p>Scylla's expression crumbled. She took an involuntary step back, losing the strength to keep up the façade of having anything together. "I don't understand… what do you want from me?"
</p><p>Anacostia softened again, because she knew there was still something left in Scylla to save. The one and only time she had successfully linked with the former Necro, she had felt the regret, the indecision in her actions. Her purpose had been vengeance, but even she wasn't completely sure if the attacks had been the way to honor her parents' deaths.
</p><p>"Raelle asked me to believe in the good in you."
</p><p>A sob escaped from her throat, unbidden, unrestrained. "Stop-"
</p><p>"I want to believe her." <i>I want to believe in you.</i> "Fight for your last memories of her, Scylla."
</p><p><i>~End Flashback~</i>
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>She'd been there almost everyday since, definitely on the weekly anniversary of her death, like clockwork, even after the tombstones have been taken out after Raelle and Abigail's return. Picking apart her pain had been comforting in a way. It was easier to drown in it than to pull herself out. And all her reckless decisions probably stemmed from an unhealthy relationship with her trauma.
</p><p>Probably, Scylla thought sardonically. Definitely. There would be no pain worse than the week and a half she'd spent thinking Raelle was dead, no pain worse than watching her parents scourged to death, no pain worse than losing everything twice in her life. She'd chucked it up to the world being cruel that she was still alive.
</p><p>She sat on the damp earth like usual, now with creeping grass over it. They'd taken out the empty coffins with the tombstones. There would be more bodies to bury as the war goes on. Scylla turned her head to the side to eye the two newly dug graves. She hadn't been there during the service. Once again she wondered what it said about her that she was thankful that the grave she sat on was now empty.
</p><p>Scylla turned her gaze back to the ground where she sat, knees drawn up to her chest, left arm wrapped around them. She placed her right hand on the earth, and took a shaky breath. She felt tears run down her cheeks, before she blinked the rest of them away. Thinking about Raelle dying never put her in a good place. "I still can't believe you're alive, Rae," she whispered into the night.
</p><p>"Well, I'm here."
</p><p>Scylla shot up so fast, she tripped while trying to turn towards where she'd heard the voice. She stiffened when Raelle's hands had come up to catch her. She might have deserved the torment of the forced link before, but it didn't mean she wanted a repeat.
</p><p>Raelle had stepped back immediately after righting her, not wanting to invade her space again. "I'm sorry," she hurriedly muttered, hands coming up in a placating gesture. "I didn't mean to frighten you."
</p><p>"Sneaking up on someone in a cemetery isn't supposed to be frightening?"
</p><p>"Fair." Raelle took another step back, unsure about being here.
</p><p>Scylla sighed. "What are you doing here, Raelle?"
</p><p>They both knew Raelle sought her out. The cadet had purposefully gone to the Military Cemetery a few miles off base and it couldn't have been to visit anyone. Raelle must have risked asking Anacostia, the only link she knew to Scylla, about where to find the said girl, and had followed through with instruction Anacostia was probably loathe to part with.
</p><p>"I wanted to talk to you."
</p><p>Scylla felt her heart constrict. She was hazy on the few hours after she'd first woken up. She could remember Raelle staying with her, but she'd been too weak to stay up too long. But she was awake enough during those few semi-lucid minutes to remember that Raelle was trying to hate her and that she didn't know what to do with that.
</p><p>Scylla didn't have enough reserves in her to take a late breakup. She didn't know if she could keep her cool if Raelle told her to keep her distance. She might know that she had done unforgivable things, but she also knew it was taking a lot out of her to deal with everything in her life. Returning to the grave of her ex-girlfriend was the least of her problematic coping mechanisms.
</p><p>"You should go back to the Base," Scylla found herself saying.
</p><p>"I just wanted to apologize," Raelle spoke before Scylla was even done speaking.
</p><p>Scylla frowned. "No…"
</p><p>"Scylla-"
</p><p>"Look, it's fine. You don't have to apologize. But you really should get back-"
</p><p>"Please." Raelle had raised an arm to prevent Scylla from turning to walk away, but kept her distance, knowing she had overstepped the last time they'd met.
</p><p>Scylla stopped fighting, for the first time, standing completely vulnerable in front of Raelle. Raelle now knew about all the worst parts of her. She dropped her gaze to the ground, feeling herself weaken. The last time she'd let her guard down, her memories were ripped away from her. "Ok."
</p><p>"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry, Scylla." Raelle's voice was heavy with her guilt. Anacostia was right. It didn't matter that Scylla had hurt her. Raelle was always going to be <i>good</i>. "I shouldn't have Linked with you like that. I wanted- wanted to know the truth, but not that way."
</p><p>If Scylla tried, she could still imagine the feeling of the last time their lips had pressed, and if there was something she wanted to take away from that moment, it was their last kiss. So she smiled. "It's ok."
</p><p>"It's not, though. It isn't." Raelle had felt the echoes of the feelings attached to those memories, ones that weren't unfamiliar. The resentment, the anger, the blame against the military. "And I'm sorry about your parents."
</p><p>Scylla finally relented, accepting the series of apologies. She loved Raelle, but any conversation about her parents was something she didn't want to delve into at any time of the day. "Me, too." She smiled, instinct to cover up the pain taking over. "They deserved better."
</p><p>"You do, too, Scyl." Raelle's voice was firm, like she really believed that.
</p><p>Scylla softened. "Did you really come here just to apologize?"
</p><p>Raelle shrugged jerkily, awkward. "Yeah. Honestly with everything that's happening, we're never gonna get a private moment anymore. I can't just drop by your-" She gestured vaguely to the general direction of Scylla's old room. "And I didn't wanna wait."
</p><p>"I wouldn't have minded waiting." 
</p><p>Scylla still smiled the same, Raelle observed, and she wanted to believe it was because however it had started, Scylla did grow to love her.
</p><p>Scylla looked back down at the empty grave, felt her heart constrict at the reminder of having almost lost Raelle, and she decided that maybe she could be allowed the small privilege of having their time extended for a couple more minutes. "Can I walk you out?"
</p><p>Raelle hesitated, and Scylla felt herself shrink. "I mean you can just go on ahead. I'll just stay here a little longer-"
</p><p>"Scylla." Raelle's hand reached out, and stopped a couple of inches short of one of Scylla's wrists, not wanting to overstep again. "I was actually hoping we could talk?"
</p><p>"Oh." Scylla felt apprehension build inside her. "Yeah, sure. Let's just…" Scylla motioned towards the woods that surrounded the cemetery, not knowing how comfortable Raelle was being among the graves of the dead Military people.
</p><p>Willa's empty grave would be there.
</p><p>They walked towards the periphery, keeping a significant distance between themselves. Raelle wondered how familiar Scylla was with the place, but didn't really think to question the former Necro. Scylla picked a clearing, then Raelle heard Scylla produce a Seed she wasn't familiar with. It took a moment, but slowly, tiny pinpoints of blue light started to illuminate the place.
</p><p>"That's pretty," Raelle whispered, the corners of her lips lifting.
</p><p>And Scylla stared at the bluish hue on Raelle's face, and the shadows making her features sharper, including the dark circles under her eyes, and she whispered back, "Yeah." She shook her head. "Just a little something I learned during my first year."
</p><p>They both settled down on the long tree trunk on the ground, and Scylla waited while Raelle seemed to gather her thoughts. She knew they had a lot to talk about, so she would let Raelle take the lead on this one.
</p><p>After a few minutes of Raelle playing with her hands, turning the ring on her index finger over and over, she finally looked up from her hunched position, elbows on her knees. "I was your mark. That's why you came for me at the field?"
</p><p>Scylla ducked her head, mind going back to the time before everything became complicated. When she looked up, her eyes were earnest and apologetic. "Yes. I had orders to recruit you, specifically. You know why, now."
</p><p>Raelle didn't have it in her to address her mother, yet. She'd just been blocking it out from her mind. She just wanted to understand Scylla for now. "So all those- those touches, those kisses…"
</p><p>Scylla sighed, remembering her conflict. "I didn't have to do any of those, Raelle. My orders were to recruit you. I…" She shook her head, lips turning up in a self-deprecating smile. "I was weak. I did think it would be easier to convince you to join the Spree if I seduced you, but," Scylla laughed at herself. "But then I realized I was more worried about losing you than failing my mission."
</p><p>"You killed Porter."
</p><p>Raelle looked like that wasn't what she had wanted to say, but the words filled the silence anyway.
</p><p>Scylla didn't avert her eyes. She knew what she'd done. Porter wasn't the worst of her crimes. "I did."
</p><p>Raelle shook her head, pushing off her knees. "You made me think I was going crazy."
</p><p>"I didn't mean to."
</p><p>"But, you did."
</p><p>"I told you to stop looking into it. Because it was dangerous."
</p><p>"Because it would have exposed you."
</p><p>"Because the Spree has more people inside the Army, Raelle, and they already knew I was slipping, more concerned about keeping you than carrying out their orders." Scylla was sure this wasn't helping her case at all. Knowing the intricacies behind her being undercover was probably convincing Raelle more that she was the worst of them. "I killed Porter because he knew too much about me. And I couldn't blow my cover. I panicked," Scylla admitted. She shook her head. She knew Raelle was lost to her already. She didn't know she would have to lose her so many times in one life time. She had to end it.
</p><p>She stood facing a seated Raelle, but kept her distance. "Porter wasn't my first kill. I was the one in that mall on Conscription Day, Raelle. I triggered that balloon and killed one thousand, six hundred people. I walked through the mass of people jumping off of the building, and I didn't look back. I did it under orders, but I did it all the same.
</p><p>"I was there for three other missions after I left the Army. I've been in a position where I could have probably stopped more deaths, but I didn't. I have so much blood in my hands, I don't remember who I was before I started killing people, I-"
</p><p>Raelle was suddenly on her feet, hands framing her face, hands gently running against the wetness in her cheeks, and Scylla suddenly realized that she was crying.
</p><p>"Please don't," Scylla begged, not wanting to fan the flame of a traitorous hope that was starting to warm at the center of her chest at just one touch from Raelle.
</p><p>Raelle's hands were firm, warm against Scylla's cool cheeks. She wiped away her tears. "You didn't want to do it," Raelle murmured.
</p><p>"I wanted the freedom to live life outside of the Military." She was sobbing by then. "So I joined the Spree because they hated the Army as much as I did. They said it was the only way-"
</p><p>"Shh." Raelle pulled Scylla flush against her, tucked her head against her neck. 
</p><p>Scylla didn't even know she'd been feeling this way since her initiation into the Spree. She'd definitely felt regret, but she'd been angry enough to rationalize her actions. And it had worked until the first body had dropped right in front of her. Her mind had shut down after that.
</p><p>But no matter the weight on her soul, she still partly believed that the radical measures of the Spree against a people who let a tradition of modern slavery exist wasn't without direction. It's been centuries, and the entirety of the human race just accepted that the only acceptable existence for witches was slaughter.
</p><p>If it took the sacrifice of a few souls to condemnation to remind humaniy that it was on the wrong path, then Scylla would be a part of it.
</p><p>She had nothing else to lose.
</p><p>Raelle had come here looking for a ghost of the girl who had flirted with her incessantly since they first met, who had consistently checked up on her unit and how they were doing, who had sought her out constantly wherever she was just to spend a couple of minutes with her. Raelle had hoped that not all of their moments had been planned just to get to her.
</p><p>But most of all, Raelle had come here looking for the girl who had chosen her at the Wedding, gave up her misguided plans to avenge the people she had loved the most to put Raelle first.
</p><p>When Raelle had gone to see Anacostia about her, Anacostia had actually deflated a little. The normally stone-cold drill sergeant had looked worried, eyes going a little soft, shoulders slumping the tiniest bit. She still looked every bit the trained soldier she was, but at that moment, it looked like Anacostia was feeling the weight of her responsibilities.
</p><p><i>"She's rough, Collar. Be careful with her. I don't know what it would take to break her. And I don't know what she'd do if she did."</i>
</p><p>But she's already broken, Raelle thought, one of her arms wrapping around Scylla's waist, and her other hand anchoring itself at the back of Scylla's head to keep her pressed against her. Scylla was trembling against her, and the only other time Raelle could remember her being like this was when Raelle was forcibly being pulled away from her in that dark room.
</p><p>Raelle still had nightmares about that night.
</p><p>It took a while for Scylla to calm down. Raelle wondered if it was because she'd never allowed herself to, or if it was because she never had anyone to unload all her thoughts on. Scylla had been alone until her. And then Raelle died. And she had no one again. Except Anacostia it seemed, Raelle thought, hand running through Scylla dark hair.
</p><p>Raelle breathed in deep, closed her eyes as she was filled with the scent she'd gone far too long without. She turned her head, pressed lips against Scylla's temple. "Scylla." She felt Scylla burrow deeper into her shoulder, arms having come up to wrap around Raelle loosely. "Let me help." Scylla was quiet, her breathing only interrupted with the occasional hiccup.
</p><p>When Scylla pulled away, her eyes were shuttered. "There's no helping me anymore, I think."
</p><p>They simultaneously pulled away, the moment of vulnerability ending, and Scylla took a step back, to rebuild the walls she had around herself. But Raelle held on to one of her hands, and to Scylla's astonishment, lifted it slowly to her lips to press a kiss there.
</p><p>"Raelle?" Scylla asked, breathless.
</p><p>"You should let me help," Raelle insisted, voice soft. She kept Scylla's hand trapped in hers.
</p><p>"Why?"
</p><p>"Because you're alone."
</p><p>"I've been alone a long time."
</p><p>"I… don't want you to be."
</p><p>"Rae, you're in War College. Helping out a Spree agent-"
</p><p>"Undercover Spree."
</p><p>"-isn't going to be good for you."
</p><p>"Since when have you cared about how well I was doing?"
</p><p>"Since I admitted to myself that I'm bad for you!"
</p><p>"Yeah, made me late all those times," Raelle muttered.
</p><p>"Stop joking about this! I don't want you anywhere near the Spree, and I'm a part of it so- I don't even know why looked for me."
</p><p>Raelle shrugged again. "I still love you."
</p><p>Raelle had to catch Scylla by her forearms to keep her upright, because she pulled back so fast she stumbled backwards. "Woah, easy."
</p><p>"What?" Scylla squeaked out.
</p><p>"Yeah, I'm a real dumbass." Raelle smiled sardonically. "And you used me, hurt me-" Scylla winced. "But I almost died, and I watched you almost die, and-" She lifted her hand again to cup at Scylla's face, watched dark eyelashes flutter at the contact. "And if this is the only way I'm gonna experience love..."
</p><p>
Scylla felt a sharp pang in her chest. "You shouldn't settle for me."
</p><p>Raelle laughed. "Where else am I gonna find someone who's willing to run away with me?"
</p><p>Scylla felt that laugh completely engulf her. If she never heard another sound again, she'd die happy. "You'd be surprised. It's those eyes, Collar."
</p><p>They both smiled, their gazes charged with something that hadn't been there before. They both knew where they came from now. There were less secrets, but definitely more at stake now.
</p><p>"This isn't gonna be easy, Raelle."
</p><p>"I came back from the dead. You don't know what's hard for me."
</p><p>No, she didn't, Scylla thought. For the first time in their relationship, she was at the disadvantage. "And you still want it?" Do you still want me?
</p><p>It felt inevitable, Raelle though. She didn't feel like it was a matter of her wanting Scylla. Scylla had always felt like someone she just gravitated to. And after finding out about being a mark, she thought maybe it was because Scylla had said all the right things to get to her. But even when she knew, it still wasn't going away. Raelle still chose to heal Scylla over her own comrades during the last mission. Raelle thought she would always choose her.
</p><p>"You should let me love you," Raelle murmured.
</p><p>Scylla swayed on her feet. Goddess, she didn't know why she was so weak right now. She couldn't remember if she'd had dinner. Or maybe it was just- "Rae."
</p><p>"I mean I already tried to stop. If dying didn't do anything-"
</p><p>"Please stop talking about yourself dying."
</p><p>"Ok, sorry." Raelle nodded. She remembered how she had felt when she thought Scylla had died. She didn't think she'd wish it on anyone.

</p><p>"I know it's complicated" Raelle continued. "I know you have too dark a fucking past to even talk about right now. I know I used to be your mark. I know I said and did some pretty cruel things to you in retaliation." Raelle looked away, but Scylla could feel Raelle's fingers sliding to intertwine with hers. "But I also know that you chose me, that you didn't give me up. That…" Raelle's eyebrows furrowed. "That even before, you'd already dropped hints about running away together. That you were ready to drop everything for me."
</p><p>"Scylla…" When Raelle looked up again, she looked lost. "I don't know what's gonna happen. I just know that when I was Fixing you, I-" Her voice broke. "I was scared of losing you again.
</p><p>"We're at war, Scylla," Raelle said, even if neither of them needed reminding. "And us falling back in love feels like it would be the least of the things to worry about."
</p><p>Scylla's hand twitched toward Raelle's face, and Raelle couldn't help rolling her eyes. "You were definitely smoother a few months ago."
</p><p>"I don't know what I'm allowed to do anymore," Scylla whispered in the space between them.
</p><p>Raelle nodded, acknowledging that whatever was between them now wasn't as simple as being young girlfriends in school. "That's ok. We'll figure it out together."
</p><p>"I don't wanna screw up the one thing that's good in my life right now."
</p><p>"Then try not to, yeah?" Raelle gave her hand a squeeze. "I just… want you to be honest with me."
</p><p>Scylla nodded, even though she knew she couldn’t really promise that, and Raelle gave her hand another squeeze, because she was also aware that it was always going to be more complicated than keeping a few secrets.
</p><p>Scylla was still Spree, and she also seemed to be a free agent of the Military. Raelle was neck deep in the ranks of the Military who was training her to be a weapon. They had their work cut out for them.
</p><p>But they'd work anyway. And for now, at least, they still had each other.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Even I'm dreading any future angst, guys.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. A Bargain Made</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Scylla makes a bargain under orders from the Spree</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>No beta. And only partially edited. Sorry for mistakes.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Abigail was starting to resent all the dramatics that came with being so closely associated with the Military officials. The dimly lit rooms, the secrecy, the hushed whispers. The pointed glares from the ones who didn't think they would be of any help as the youngest of the bunch. The jealous side eyes from their peers whenever they were called into meetings. And the general lack of sleep from all their extra work.
</p><p>She sat in a triangle with Raelle and Tally now, trying once again to tap into powers they accidentally used to keep themselves alive after she linked with a dying Raelle. Tally was here because their trainors had been there when the three of them had first properly synced their powers and had produced one of the strongest seed projections made by a triad to date.
They've been at this for 3 weeks and still nothing.
</p><p>"Concentrate, Private Collar!"
</p><p>Abigail watched Raelle clench her jaw in irritation. The blonde had been particularly distracted after sneaking out to see Scylla. She mentioned what had happened after to Abigail and Tally, and the Bellweather knew her enough to know that words weren't her thing. Raelle was the type to act and to act immediately. She was the least vocal out of the three, but she was the least hesitant about doing what she thought needed doing. Raelle was itching to prove her words to Scylla, guilty over leaving the former Necro to her death. She sat with tense shoulders now, hands gripped over one of Abigailvs and of Tally's. It was only a testament to their friendship that neither of them were wincing. If Raelle needed something to hold on to, they'd both unthinkingly extend their hands.
</p><p>Tally was just as distracted, but by thoughts and feelings that weren't hers but she once shared with the oldest known witch in existence. She'd seen Tally warring with her innate idealism and the distrust borne of years of war and turmoil as they went through this special situation of being secret weapons in a war that they didn't really want to fight in.
</p><p>Abigail has previously thought she was ready. But seeing her cousin in that bathtub
... It took her a while to be functional after that. She still had nightmares about it. And ever since finding out about the Camarilla, she'd seen not only Charvel there. Sometimes it was her mom, then Tally, then Raelle. It was never any easier whoever was bleeding out.
</p><p>She somehow was able to grip Raelle's hand harder than the blonde was holding her hand, and she glared when the Fixer looked at her.
</p><p>Raelle rolled her eyes, before concentrating on something else in the room. If something ever came out of their session, it was that Raelle had been able to divert her powers into something that didn't help but wasn't… usual. It was something they could work with at least.
</p><p>The last time they were in this very same room, Raelle had set half the room on fire by accident. Two more sessions and she'd be able to do so on command. Their sessions always stopped after any destructive show of power from them.
</p><p>They haven't been able to tap into the great power that General Izadora still refused to talk to them about, but compared to the raw energy they produced during one of their earliest syncing lessons, Raelle had learned to direct all that raw energy into destructive energy out of spite.
</p><p>Leave it to their tiniest member to have that much irritation inside of her to fuel her concentration.
</p><p>Tally usually tried to stop her, but preoccupied as she already was with thoughts that weren't her own, Abigail was stuck trying to be the bridge between her two lost teammates. It used to be Tally's role, but despite everything that also happened to her, Abigail apparently was currently the least fucked up mentally out of the three of them.
</p><p>So she purposely weakened the seed she was trying to produce, so Raelle didn't completely burn off the entire room, then waited for the exasperated mumblings from their guards for the day. They'd be led out and into their rooms and reminded of the next session. It was exhausting, but…
</p><p>But the three of them had been able to figure out how to pick apart the Work inside of them, and they haven't told their superiors, yet. They agreed to keep it to themselves until the Army decided they were worthy of being told about the source of the witchbomb. Otherwise, they'd work through their powers themselves, and see where it got them.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>It was the biggest gathering she's been in, and it was only 12 people. The hierarchy of the Spree made it freer, less organized than the institution it was trying to take down, but it wasn't less effective in carrying out its missions. Scylla now sat among a few others mostly older than her, and she scratched at her facial hair. For everyone's protection, they never met on official meetings in their own faces. They always came in in stolen Masks.
</p><p>"We lost three people to obtain this information."
</p><p>That meant they were captured but they were able to send information before they were incapacitated. The Spree were getting more aggressive about sending in people to infiltrate the Camarilla, wanting to always be ahead of the Military. In the process, from where Scylla was observing, losing sight of its original purpose.
</p><p>Just like the Military.
</p><p>She stared down at her hands, now only listening with half an ear. She had a feeling she knew what was going to happen. The Military had barred the Spree from the Ball, knowing their view of Civilians who weren't willing to accept their role in the conscription. The Spree would still send in a small group with the sole purpose of thwarting the plans they heard from a Camarilla briefing. The mission was partly personal, Scylla knew, and that meant everything would be riskier, sloppier. Being called to stay after the meeting only confirmed her suspicions for her.
</p><p>She dropped her mask at the order from the one who led the meeting, not feeling the slightest bit mollified at Willa extending the same courtesy and dropping her own.
</p><p>"You probably already know why I asked you to stay."
</p><p>Scylla kept her face neutral, but it was always infinitely harder when Raelle was involved. "This is the one thing I would fight for until my last breath. You don't have to tell me to protect her."
</p><p>"I'm telling you anyway. If she gets taken, it <i>will</i> be your last." Willa's face didn't change from the soft smile in her face, and Scylla felt uneasy at how familiar it was to her, but not being able to tell what was behind it. "You already failed in securing her once."
</p><p>"Because you didn't tell me-"
</p><p>"It's not your place to know." Willa reached back unto the desk behind her, picked up a small container and handed it over. Scylla took without question. "This should be enough to convince them."
</p><p>It'll burn her out, Scylla knew. Raelle was too powerful for Scylla to imitate her Work, and they needed a way for the Camarilla to believe it was her when the time came. Scylla slid the pill inscribed with intricate Insignia into her pocket and nodded.
</p><p>Her mission was clear. If all else failed, and Raelle's abduction was imminent, Scylla would have to find a way to take her place. Because she was expendable in this war, and Raelle wasn't. Scylla would have been angry. But Raelle was someone she could admit was worth a lot more than her. Even she could see that.
</p><p>She'd already taken too many hits during this war. But she wouldn't hesitate to take a few more to protect the Fixer.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>"Let me do this."
</p><p>"This takes the cake on being the most asinine plan you have EVER had to do, Ramshorn, and you once killed more than a thousand people."
</p><p>Scylla didn't even let that jab phase her, but she was taken aback with how much vehemence there was in Anacostia's voice. The older woman's eyes were flashing, and her hands were shaking in a way that resembled the very first time Scylla got underneath her skin. Scylla had been in shackles then.
</p><p>Now, she was choosing to shed whatever invisible ones she still had forever.
</p><p>"It's not exactly my plan," Scylla reminded, as if that made it any more acceptable. "You know it makes sense."
</p><p>Anacostia's nose flared, before she moved closer to hover over the double agent in front of her. "It is reckless and suicidal."
</p><p>"Suicidal and effective. She's everything in this war, and I'd do anything to protect her from them. The army keeps their soldier, and I get to die keeping whatever left is good in me. Isn't that what you asked of me?"
</p><p>Anacostia was brought back to the moment in the Necro basement, Scylla's pale gaunt skin from the lack of sun and food and water stark against the darkness of the room. Despite the torture, her eyes had been clear of blame, showing only curiousity as Anacostia freed her arms and legs. The drill sergeant had handed her escape then, eyes pleading for Scylla to choose right.
</p><p>She grit her teeth now, staring at the young woman who had had her back the past few months, who had infiltrated Spree bases prior to the truce, who had worked in the shadows as someone distrusted, hated by both sides, but had proven herself useful nonetheless. Anacostia stared down at Scylla, repeatedly rejected, albeit understandably by her former lover for her 
betrayal, but still sitting calmly, and meeting Anacostia's eyes with clear intent.
</p><p>"You'd do this for her? Even when she said she'd rather not have known you?"
</p><p>Scylla smirked, her lips twitching mockingly. But her eyes were tired. Resigned. "Apparently my love for Raelle isn't contingent on whether or not she loves me back." She conveniently left what had happened at the end of the last time she'd met with Raelle. It wouldn't help for either of them to remember.
</p><p>It wasn't like Scylla's heart wasn't without resentment at having been left behind repeatedly. Without fault by her parents years ago, with full knowledge by Raelle just a few weeks ago, without care from both institutions that were trying to take advantage of her lack of a real purpose after having lost everything twice.
</p><p>But she loved Raelle. And that was something she was sure about.
</p><p>Anacostia wondered when she had started to feel so protective of someone who has always chosen to work outside of all their rules. "Your plan may not work."
</p><p>"As plans always are wont to be. But if it does, she stays safe." Scylla shook her head. "Sergeant." She paused, and decided to change gears. "Anacostia." She tilted her head, smile hollow. "I am expendable. This war will last years without her."
</p><p>"You didn't want her to be used."
</p><p>Scylla grit her teeth, but her smile never dropped. "I'm not saving her for you." Not for your people. Not for the army. "I'm saving her for me."
</p><p>Anacostia finally let up, backing away. "Fucking... Fine. But we're planning an extraction."
</p><p>"It'll be useless-"
</p><p>"You worry about your suicide mission, and I'll worry about mine. I keep soldiers alive for a living, Ramshorn. I don't buy into Alder's sacrificial lamb plans. If there's a chance to save your ass, I'm doing it."
</p><p>Scylla's eyes turned teasing, but her voice was soft, appreciative. "I'm gonna miss you, too, Quartermaine."
</p><p>"Ain't nobody missing anyone," Anacostia muttered, eyes already unfocused as her mind started planning what could be done to save Scylla.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The military ball was pushing through. All witches will be attending. It was also being held to show the civilians that everything was under control. They were holding a ball in 
defiance to the war the Camarilla was waging.
</p><p>We will not cower from your attacks.
</p><p>Abigail smirked at someone from across the room, the last boy she'd had underneath her, before looking away and letting her smile drop. She'd seen the Necro walking around despite the explicit bar against the Spree's attendance, and as much as she hated the traitor, she knew she'd had been vital in the operations of the Military. And she'd been consistently protecting Raelle.
</p><p>The fact that Raelle was too hurt and too scared to pursue anything more again before was proof enough, Abigail thought, that maybe it needed to happen. The minor skirmish they'd been a part of the day after Raelle had met with Scylla had been too much of a success. Abigail knew Raelle had maybe only a couple of hours of sleep, but she'd been unusually focused, her blasts nearly as accurate as Abigail's during that day.
</p><p>And they didn't even have sex, Abigail thought with a mental grimace, not entirely comfortable with thinking about her sister and her beau.
</p><p>Abigail had to begrudgingly admit that Raelle's instability was coming from being apart from Scylla, and now that they were <i>something</i> again, maybe things would go a little smoother.
</p><p>She rolled her eyes to herself. Her unit was a heartbroken mess.
</p><p>"What's got you so annoyed?"
</p><p>Abigail turned towards Tally's ever present smile, immediately feeling herself relax at her presence. Abigail was the leader of their unit, but Tally was what bound them together. "I saw Scylla."
</p><p>"So did Raelle." Tally made a face. "She gravitated to the bar after."
</p><p>Abigail couldn't help but roll her eyes again. "Still shy about meeting after their one night stand."
</p><p>"They didn't have sex, Abi."
</p><p>"I don't know why not. I mean I get it was a little awkward doing it in a cemetery-"
</p><p>"Ok! We're not talking about this." Tally laughed, used to Abigail's blunt nature. But then she tilted her head. "Scylla's growing on you."
</p><p>Abigail only pursed her lips. The last joint mission with the spree was the second one they shared with the Necro.
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <i>~~Start flashback~~</i>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>Abigail had been slightly distracted trying to make sure Scylla didn't pull anything. But after the last windstrike delivered by her unit, taking out most of the Camarilla left, one of the enemy's bastardized blasters had snuck behind Raelle. Scylla had bodily blocked Raelle from the blast, and it was only Raelle holding on to her just as tightly that had Scylla falling on top of the blonde and out of the way of the blast.
</p><p>It had been Tally and Abigail who'd found her in the hallway, smiling lopsidedly up at a pissed off Anacostia, but there was an uncharacteristic sheen to her eyes. Abigail still didn't know how that relationship actually worked, but Tally had dragged Abigail before she could figure it out.�</p><p>After several nudges from Tally that were increasingly sharper as they went on, Abigail rolled her eyes and muttered, "Thanks. For saving her."
</p><p>"You still love her," Tally blurted out, dimples appearing. She'd been the one to see firsthand Scylla's meeting with the Spree through a mirror, but after learning that Scylla had actually defied orders jeopardizing her safety, Tally had warmed significantly to her.
</p><p>Also, Tally was a romantic. No war or personal heartbreak was going to change that any time soon.
</p><p>Scylla had pushed herself to her feet, waving away their efforts to help her up. "Never stopped." She smiled at both of them, the same mischievous smile that Raelle probably fell in love with. "Can't really help it."
</p><p>Scylla was already limping away from them when Abigail spoke again.
</p><p>"Just give her time."
</p><p>Scylla almost tripped at how fast she turned, eyebrows shooting up. Tally's mouth was agape. And Anacostia was rolling her eyes, having had enough of them for the day.
</p><p>Abigail's shoulders had jerked into an awkward shrug, before mumbling a goodbye.
</p><p>"If she's what it takes to ground Raelle again," Abigail murmured, reluctantly towards Tally.
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>
  <i>~~End flashback~~</i>
</p><p><br/>
</p><p>Abigail sought out the Spree agent now, lurking in one of the tables in the periphery, probably being too perceptive for a party. They all were but... Scylla was especially fidgety. The kind she probably only got about Raelle.
</p><p>So against her better judgment, she made her way across the dance floor, promising Tally that she wasn't going to be overly protective of Raelle.
</p><p>"This is the most undercover you've ever looked, Ramshorn. You used to be better at blending in," Abigail jibed. Then she felt herself tense as a bubble manifested itself around them after a softly sung seed from Scylla. A privacy bubble that would silence their conversation. Abigail was getting better at sensing seeds. "What-"
</p><p>"Don't react."
</p><p>Abigail slid one of the wine glasses she'd gotten towards the Spree agent, choosing to stay silent.
</p><p>"The Camarilla are here."
</p><p>Abigail took a sip, before answering. "This place is full of civilians."
</p><p>"It's not gonna matter if it looks like witches are behind an attack. You all thought the Spree were behind the infiltration in Bellweather manor."
</p><p>"You were there."
</p><p>"I was there for Raelle."
</p><p>Abigail licked her lips, smiling at something who waved at her from across the room. "Why didn’t the Spree inform the Army?"
</p><p>Scylla shrugged. "Any civilian deaths caused by the Camarilla isn't something the Spree would care about. They'd probably encourage it."
</p><p>Abigail stared at Scylla for a long time, trying to understand why she was being told all this. Why Abigail? "Is this about Raelle?"
</p><p>"Technically about the three of you as the golden trio of the Military. But the Camarilla only has information on her, because of- that's not important. They know she's valuable."
</p><p>Abigail felt her hackles rise. "She's more than just some weapon."
</p><p>"<i>I know</i>, Bellweather, ok?" Scylla jerked her head to the side, trying to dispel some of her dizziness. Then she took out a pill from her sleeve, popped it.
</p><p>"How many of those have you had?" There were restricted Army pills.
</p><p>Scylla shook her head, snapping at the Blaster, "It's hard to keep up a Glamor and have Eyes up, all right?"
</p><p>Which explained why only Abigail picked up on her. She was close to Raelle, and Raelle and Scylla were--or used to be--intimate. Glamors didn't really work on people close to you. "And what's the plan?"
</p><p>Scylla finished off her wine in one gulp, before taking a breath. "I take her place."
</p><p>"No."
</p><p>They were both surprised at Abigail's immediate denial, but Abigail shook it off first. "No," she repeated. "I don't understand exactly what happened when she broke a thousand rules just to <i>talk</i> to you in a damn cemetery, but I'm not going to be handing you over just like that."
</p><p>"I'll be handing myself over."
</p><p>Abigail grit her teeth. That's why they got along. There were both smartasses at the worst times. "Listen." Abigail moved closer despite the privacy seed preventing anyone from hearing them anyway. "I saw how Raelle was when she thought you died. I'm not going to let her go through that again."
</p><p>"It's the only way to protect her," Scylla insisted.
</p><p>"No-"
</p><p>A loud explosion shook the entire hall, and screams filled it.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I have somewhat of a plot outline for this finally, so I know where it's going. Now it's just a matter of... actually writing.</p><p>Thanks for sticking with me!</p><p>Special thanks to RayllaEndgame for consistently commenting. All my love for you, girl.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Unleashed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The fight against the Camarilla has an unexpected end.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>”It's early," Scylla muttered, fingers already slipping inside the breast pocket containing her last pill for the night.
</p><p>Abigail's hand snapped to her wrist to prevent her from taking it. "Scylla-"
</p><p>"Let's not pretend I matter to you. Raelle's in danger. She's a couple of tables away from the buffet close to the doors leading into one of the balconies. Help me keep her safe."
</p><p>Abigail's hand remained firm. "You matter to Rae." For the first time, Abigail saw Scylla slump, unsure. "I don't know what the hell the two of you are right now, but she's finally smiling again. So if you could keep yourself alive a little longer, that would be great."
</p><p>She let go of Scylla. "Do you still have your medal?"
</p><p>Scylla felt the urgency flood back, thoughts about a Raelle who still loved her lingering. "There's no time-"
</p><p>"I can track it. Keep it on you, Ramshorn."
</p><p>They get separated through the suddenly agitated crowd, trying to fit their entire mass into the exits available to them. There are visibly immobile individuals fighting to keep their place in the mass bodies. Abigail figured they were either soldiers staying to keep the peace or Camarilla. But the civilians were similarly dressed as the Camarilla, so they were hard to distinguish.
</p><p>She pushed towards the direction Scylla had given her, and she inwardly cursed the fact that Raelle was nearly a full head shorter than she was. But she caught sight of Tally waving at her, and she trusted her to have found Raelle. She'd already lost sight of Scylla, knowing the former Necro probably wore someone else’s face now.
</p><p>She reached the rest of her unit just as another smaller explosion wracked the entire hall, causing Tally to simultaneously find her balance and keep Abigail on her feet by clutching on to Abigail's arms, Raelle just behind her.
</p><p>"Camarilla," Abigail said, pressing close towards Tally to whisper in her ear and prevent anyone else from hearing.
</p><p>Tally looked like she wanted to ask how Abigail knew, but it looked like she came to the most logical conclusion.
</p><p>Scylla.
</p><p>”We have to help her,” Abigail said in lieu of an explanation.
</p><p>”Help who?” Both taller girls looked to Raelle, and the realization dawned on the blonde, followed instantly by dread. “Why, what’s happening? Is Scylla ok?”
</p><p>Abigail looked towards the direction of where she’d seen Scylla, fully expecting not to see the other girl there. But Scylla somehow remained rooted there, lips slightly parted probably doing some kind of Spree shit.
</p><p>”She isn’t safe,” Abigail admitted, looking back toward Raelle, and already grabbing for their wrists. “But there’s no time to explain. You’re the target. We have to get-“
</p><p>Another explosion shook the three of them, severely slowing the progress of people going out, having targeted one of the larger exits, and guests screamed as one of the chandeliers in the large hall fell into a few guests.
</p><p>The smoke that had started to collect inside the room further made her search for the Necro more diffilcult. Abigail grit her teeth as she scanned the crowd, which was moving slowly because of the narrow exits. But there were already certain groups of people making themselves more present. This far away from Scylla, Abigail couldn’t pick her out of the crowd because of the Glamor she had up.
</p><p>But she felt Raelle’s shoulder bump into hers, impatient, and she was already making her way towards a direction.
</p><p>The other two followed, knowing whatever it was that was between Raelle and Scylla was strengthening Raelle’s Sight of her.
</p><p>They didn’t get very far when they were intercepted by a large woman, black box strapped to her neck like how the Camarilla had been when they met them in China for the first time. Then a loud screeching filled their ears as she opened her mouth.
</p><p>Abigail figured they weren’t going to be leaving this thing unscathed. They were going to have to fight their way to Scylla.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Raelle was already starting to panic, but knowing where Scylla was in the are was grounding her. She wasn’t as good as Tally when it came to Seeing, but despite all that has happened between her and Scylla, she was confident in her connection with her. That and Scylla had actually laid down a very simple foundation for a bond by creating that Work.
</p><p>It was how Raelle was able to intercept Scylla just a couple of dozen feet away from the searching Camarilla, who had already formed a phalanx, driving other people away, and the crowd was already starting to thin out significantly. They have yet to unleash a deadly Seed, which made Raelle think that maybe they were a little more careful this time around because of all the collateral damage that would actually be civilians. That didn’t mean there weren’t any. Raelle had already seen unmoving bodies with shrapnel in various parts of them.
</p><p>Raelle pushed her Work to lead her to where Scylla was, and she didn’t even look to check where she was going. She only took note of the few notable things around her, which was mainly the progressively enlarging space the Camarilla was occupying and the seemingly ineffective attempts of the dozen witches around them to incapacitate them.
</p><p>That and the several fights that have broken out around them, several of which they had to get in the middle of to pass through.
</p><p>Raelle was now bleeding from her temple, split lip throbbing, but she didn’t pay any attention to that. She whispered the Sight Seed again, and muscled through several other people to followed the draw to Scylla. Raelle grabbed at the hand that she felt herself gravitated to with her Sight, and she almost let go upon seeing her own face as she looked up. She watched lips that were just like her own purse a little, producing a Seed that she was familiar with. A glamor. But she noted that it wasn’t the other Raelle’s face that became unrecognizable.
</p><p>”What are you doing, Scylla?”
</p><p>She watched other Raelle’s eyebrows lift in surprise, but then she shook her head, not wanting to get distracted. “This is for the best.”
</p><p>Other Raelle—Scylla—maneuvered her way around Raelle so it would be easier for the Camarilla to spot her first. Then she looked back, and it was jarring for Raelle to see her face with such longing and regret. Then she heard Abigail’s frantic voice in her head again.
</p><p>
  <i>You’re the target.</i>
</p><p>
  <i><br/>
</i>
</p><p>Sudden, overwhelming dread filled Raelle, and in a panic, she grabbed at the hand that was slowly slipping away. “No, Scylla-“
</p><p>Scylla looked back again, already stepping away from Raelle. “Don’t worry. You’ll be safe.”
</p><p><i>But you won’t be</i>, Raelle thought, feeling something drop in the pit of her stomach. But for some reason, her hand went lax in Scylla’s, and they slid away from each other’s in a way that seemed to prolong their contact. Wrists, palms, fingers, until there was only air.
</p><p>Raelle felt the same fear she harbored while she waited for news about Scylla after the wedding. The helplessness and grief as she left Scylla’s fate to people who she’d later learned would never care about Scylla, barely cared about Raelle herself. She felt the unmistakable shackles that the Military had on her and how they had felt heavier while she waited, as one of the members of the bottom rung of the institution.
</p><p>Then she felt a hand settle on her shoulder, another on her other arm limp at her side. She still didn’t know how her new abilities worked, and she didn’t know if this was just because they were so close as a unit, but she knew they were Tally’s and Abigail’s.
</p><p>And just like in every session, their Work merged.
</p><p>”Scylla,” Raelle whispered to the wind, Scylla’s name coming out as a seed and Raelle employed what little she learned during their training, siphoning power from Abigail and Tally.
</p><p>And just as someone had roughly grabbed Scylla, still with Raelle’s Mask, the sound of a howling wind burst forth from where the unit stood, expanding outward.
</p><p>Not unlike their first linking session in training, everyone who was left in the Hall dropped to the floor like rag dolls.
</p><p>All except the trio and Scylla, whose powers had finally run out for the night, face flaking off by ash to reveal her tired, but very shocked eyes.
</p><p>”How did you do that?”
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The clean up took a while.
</p><p>The witches were the first to rouse, and the ones who knew Raelle kind of knew what happened. The soldiers who were assigned security immediately started tying up the passed out Camarilla. This was going to be the first time they were actually able to capture a group—eight by the looks of it—to be able to interrogate.
</p><p>The trio were ushered towards the side, as they were part of the youngest members of war college and only seniors and juniors were ordered to help with damage control. Raelle had grabbed on to Scylla’s hand the moment she could, and so she was dragged away with the other three.
</p><p>They were directed towards one of the glass panels separate from where they were leading the other freshman. That probably meant they were going to be held at a different warehouse. Given the circumstances, the unit was instructed to follow orders to isolate for now and stay away from their peers for a while.
</p><p>Alder had looked disgruntled at having been made unconscious, but her eyes gleamed with the possibilities of what had happened. It was the first time they were able to produce results in a scale that was similar to the witchbomb and it looked like if they didn’t have to address what had happened, she would have gladly spent the rest of the night interrogating them about what happened.
</p><p>As it was, they were now climbing stairs in awkward silence with two room keys handed to them by Anacostia. The drill sergeant had taken the liberty of convincing the higher ups that she was the best person to take care of them, and honestly it didn’t take much convincing. She’d taken them aside, whispering an almost silent Seed that made them forgettable as they walked through crowds of recently roused civilians and older witches and she gave them instructions about staying put in the building because they will be interrogated first thing in the morning.
</p><p>But there weren’t enough rooms for everyone so… two keys.
</p><p>Abigail was the first to step away from their group upon reaching the landing of the floor they were going to staying in, and she stared at the other three with a raised eyebrow. “Let’s not pretend we’re still going to be thinking about sleeping arrangements. C’mon, Tal.”
</p><p>Raelle watched the rest of her unit leave her alone with Scylla who had yet to say anything since the attack. Raelle still had a firm hand on hers, afraid she’d go do something crazy again, and Scylla’s own hand would have been tighter if she wasn’t so tired.
</p><p>Now away from the commotion downstairs, Scylla suddenly swayed on her feet, and it was only Raelle’s hands coming up around her that prevented her from falling.
</p><p>”Woah. Scylla, what’s wrong?” Raelle’s hands adjusted around her so Scylla was cradled on one arm, and her other came up to brush hair away from her face.
</p><p>Scylla nuzzled against her. “Tired. I…” She sighed, and Raelle felt all her weight fall on her arms, making her fumble a bit before picking her up.
</p><p>The only reason Raelle didn’t bother asking anymore was that she felt like Scylla’s essence was flickering inside of her. She’s never sensed that anywhere else in the few weeks she’s had her Work change. And that probably couldn’t be good.
</p><p>So she walked towards the room they’ve been assigned, the one beside Tally and Abigail’s, and she had to shift around to be able to open the door. If Scylla was awake, she would have laughed, but she was out cold and she remained unconscious through Raelle’s jostling her with her efforts of opening the door. It just made Raelle worry more.
</p><p>She carefully put Scylla down on the only bed in the room, took off her shoes and her outer jacket before bringing the covers up. Raelle finally let herself relax, looking down at a sleeping Scylla, and she allowed herself a moment to brush a hand against Scylla’s cheek, paler than usual, cheekbones a little more stark because of the weight she’d last the past few weeks.
</p><p>”Why do you keep doing this, Scyl?” Raelle asked the quiet, knowing Scylla wouldn’t be able to hear. She sighed, before leaning down, pressing a soft kiss to Scylla’s forehead before turning and picking out the cushioned chair that would definitely be shit to sleep in. But she didn’t want to sleep beside Scylla with so much conflict between them still.
</p><p>They talked about maybe trying again, or now that Raelle realized it, Raelle had expressed wanting to try again, but Scylla didn’t really confirm anything. Maybe she’d grown tired of waiting.
</p><p>Raelle got as comfortable as she could in the chair, taking off everything but her undershirt and the cycling shorts underneath her Military dress uniform. She was awake a couple of more minutes just watching Scylla sleep, then she succumbed to the drain that always took ahold of her whenever they used their new Work.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Raelle woke to a hand on her knee.
</p><p>”Raelle.”
</p><p>She lifted her head that had been pressed against the back of the chair in an odd angle, wincing at the pain. “Scylla? What’s wrong?”
</p><p>”Come to bed. You need rest.”
</p><p>Raelle straightened her legs that had been curled in front of her to fit on the chair, and she cursed a little because one of them already had a cramp. “Not even gonna ask where we are?”
</p><p>”You’re here.” Scylla shrugged. She couldn’t care less about anything else. “Please. That chair must be uncomfortable.”
</p><p>”Must be,” Raelle muttered, letting her head fall to the back of the chair again. She watched a crouched Scylla, hand almost floating over her knee, probably worried about boundaries. “You shouldn’t have done that, Scyl.”
</p><p>Scylla pulled back, not expecting to get into this now. “It’s late-“
</p><p>”I thought we were moving past keeping things from each other.” Raelle sat up to lean on her knees so she was closer to Scylla, who remained perched on her on the floor. “I thought you wanted to be with me, too.”
</p><p>Scylla’s shoulders slumped, still tired from the evening, without the strength to carry one with this conversation, but she knew she owed Raelle an explanation. She owed Raelle a lot. “You know I do, Rae.”
</p><p>”You say that, but you're still keeping a lot of really important things from me.”
</p><p>She stared at the blonde, hair a mess, face bruised from the fight, and all she could think was how beautiful Raelle still was to her despite everything. Her heart felt heavy with her decision and the consequent mess that followed. “I’m sorry.”
</p><p>"What if I lost you tonight?" Raelle’s voice cracked. "You think I'd forgive you for that?"
</p><p>"You'd be safe."
</p><p>"I already grieved you!" Raelle suddenly stood up, anger finding a better hold on her heart than the fear of almost losing Scylla again. She was afraid she would break if she didn’t focus on her frustration.
</p><p>And Scylla, well, she met her toe to toe.
</p><p>"I couldn't just sit by and watch them take you!" She was on her feet facing off with Raelle in a split second. But she lost her heat just as fast as she gained it, still feeling the aftermath of the Military Pills she’d taken to get through the night. She forced herself to calm down. When she spoke again, her voice was firm. "I will always choose you."
</p><p>Raelle shook her head, finally stepping forward, closer, when she'd been trying to keep her distance all night. "I need you-" Her voice shook, and her hands trembled. "If we're going to be together, I need you to choose us."
</p><p>But Scylla had spent the past few weeks putting herself last. She’d decided her life was always going to be secondary to what she threw herself into. It was a short time, but she’d learned how to completely divide her value as a person to her value as an asset. And the former was… she didn’t know if it still even existed. “I- I don't-"
</p><p>Raelle huffed out a laugh that sounded more like a scoff, and pivoted on her heel, ready to walk away from their conversation, but she felt a firm hand latch onto her own.
</p><p>And it's like Raelle’s whole world froze again. They never talk about or teach this untenable thread binding some witches together, but she could only really describe theirs as inevitable. Raelle found herself holding on to that hand, despite being turned away from Scylla. And she pursed her lips to prevent them from trembling.
</p><p>"Raelle, please..." Scylla's voice trembled. She was tired of watching Raelle walk away. "You know I can't promise anything. After the way- The Spree doesn't trust me. The Military wants me behind bars. You deserve better-"
</p><p>"If you'd only let me choose you, too."
</p><p>Scylla felt all the walls she’d been building collapse just at the prospect of finally being chosen back. Of finally letting someone put her first.
</p><p>She’d spent weeks playing the role of someone who was only ever used for her skills, she’d forgotten how it felt to have someone look at her and see only her. Because she couldn’t remember how she was before she lost Raelle to the desert.
</p><p>”Show me,” she whispered softly, but her voice carried in the quiet room.
</p><p>And she gasped as Raelle surged forward, arms coming up to wrap around her waist, lips crushing into hers.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'M VERY SORRY FOR LEAVING YOU GUYS HANGING</p><p>But my laptop broke down last week and I couldn't write out the next chapter. I'll be updating this Tuesday, too, barring any other problems. And I'm sorry this isn't longer. But I've had a really heavy week at work. But I'll be updating the soonest!</p><p>Also I'm sorry for leaving out the other consistent commenters. My email didn't give me notifications to your comments two chapter ago. I appreciate all of you!</p><p>(Side questions: 1 how do you feel about soulmate bonds 2 how do you guys feel about smut? Just skip over it or... Let me know. 😏)</p><p>moonlightdrip: Thanks so much for sticking with me! Very little Mamacostia in this chapter unfortunately. You'll see more of her soon!<br/>smookey: angst before the fluff! Kinda hard to ignore their canon problems. And we'll see about saving Scylla. I mean... we got to Rae, right?<br/>RayllaEndgame: d r u g s. They're definitely not "cool". They're um... they're trying to get there. Like when you fight with someone and you're in an awkward how do we do this stage?<br/>Bondi98: Sorry for keeping you waiting longer than usual!<br/>AnnaDarling: Thank you so much! I'll definitely try to update sooner next time.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Fate Sealed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Raelle and Scylla finally start the long road toward healing. The Unit stand between political parties that may or may not have their best interests at heart.</p><p>(NOTE: Rating raised to M)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Raelle didn’t realize that Scylla had also taken off her pants until she was pressed chest to chest with her. And she had maybe a split second to process that, the skin of their legs flush against each other’s, and a low thrumming started at the base of her spine.
</p><p>It was the first time she was feeling it, Raelle realized, a feeling separate from the fire that had blazed in the pit of her stomach the moment their lips met. And she almost completely forgot about it as she felt Scylla’s hands come up to cup at her cheeks, slide to thread at her hair to keep her in place. As if there was any part of Raelle that would pull away now. Not now when they were afforded a rare opportunity to be alone.
</p><p>It was Scylla who first started moving backwards, toward the bed that was only a handful of feet away, and it was Raelle whose hands became too impatient, immediately sliding underneath clothes to slip Scylla’s shirt up and off.
</p><p>”Goddess,” Raelle rasped out, finding bare breasts.
</p><p>”Was in a hurry,” Scylla gasped, as Raelle’s hands immediately gravitated toward them. “Raelle.”
</p><p>Her hands slid up to cup Scylla’s cheeks again bringing their lips together again. When the back of Scylla’s knees bumped against the bed, Raelle shifted her hold so she could prevent the two of them from falling. She breathed heavily against kiss-swollen lips, feeling everything inside of her protest at the pause.
</p><p>”Wait, Scylla.”
</p><p>Scylla pressed her forehead against Raelle’s, all too willing to stop if Raelle said so, but every part of her Raelle touched burned with need. “Yeah?”
</p><p>Raelle’s thumbs ran over her cheekbones, and she seemed to sway forward, eager to reconnect their lips, but she held herself as steady as she could, hips still pressed against Scylla’s, noses brushing. “I don’t want this to be all it is.”
</p><p>Mind muddled by their kisses, Scylla’s eyebrows scrunched prettily, some of her features in shadow because of the light of the moon. The dim light hid both of their physical flaws. The beginning bruises in Raelle’s face from the recent encounter. The dark shadows around Scylla’s eyes from fighting a war on both sides. But Scylla could only think to take note of the warmth from Raelle, starkly different from the cool air against her bare skin. Her eyes were unfocused, dilated as she responded. “You’ve always been more to me, Raelle.”
</p><p>The blonde shook her head, fighting through the familiar haze of her physical draw towards Scylla to make her understand. “Scylla.” Raelle opened her mouth to continue, but she met the Scylla’s eyes, dark with her desire and she groaned, finally succumbing.
</p><p> She surged forward, enough to push the both of them to flop on to the bed, pressing tightly against each other. She let Scylla take her shirt off, their underwear soon following. She pressed another desperate and deep kiss to Scylla lips, one of her legs slipping between Scylla’s earning her a moan.
</p><p>They ground against each other, Scylla gasping against the side of Raelle’s head as Raelle traced kissed on her cheek, her jaw, her ear, then her neck. Hearing her name spill from Scylla’s lips had her tracing her way back up to reconnect their lips.
</p><p>”Scylla,” Raelle murmured against her lips, holding herself up a bit on her forearms, and Scylla almost groaned at the tiny bit of space it created between them. “Let me-“
</p><p>Scylla felt how Raelle <i>opened</i>. “No.”
</p><p>”Please. I just want you to understand.” Their hips haven’t stopped moving against each other, and they were both holding on to parts of each other to keep themselves pressed flush. “I don’t know how else to- to make you understand.”
</p><p>”We’ll talk-“
</p><p>”We’re bad at talking.”
</p><p>Scylla laughed, a shadow of the genuine laughter Raelle used to hear, but it was a laugh nonetheless. “Ok. Ok, but are you-“
</p><p>”I am. I am. Just for a moment. I <i>need</i> you to understand, Scyl.”
</p><p>Their eyes met once again, irises thinned out, and Scylla nodded, letting Raelle take the lead. If they were doing this, it was going to be on Raelle’s terms. She didn’t want to see anything Raelle didn’t want her to see.
</p><p>Their movements seemed to slow then, as Scylla felt a give on to Raelle’s thoughts.
</p><p>And then she saw the two of them on that first day they met, feeling it from Raelle’s perspective. Of seeing Scylla and feeling her usual distrust toward anyone who wasn’t her dad, but also feeling the inevitable spark in between them.
</p><p>Then the next two weeks after that seemed to pass in a flash, but Scylla could clearly feel how Raelle had slowly but surely fallen for her, gravitated to her, and Scylla felt how Raelle had let it, despite all her reservation about trusting anyone. Scylla had felt how Raelle was so guarded with everyone but her. She felt how Raelle was ready to end everything, was ready to give whatever was left after she’d lost her mother to the institution that would never give a shit about her. She felt Raelle’s frustration, her anger, her near constant rage. Except when they were together.
</p><p>Then they were suddenly dancing together at the wedding. And Scylla almost pulled away, guilty, upon realizing that it was the first time Raelle had felt <i>safe</i> since finding out about her mother.
</p><p>The rest mirrored her own heart.
</p><p>The devastation of finding out about Scylla dying. Finding out she was alive but captured. Finding out she was Spree.
</p><p>The heartbreak of betrayal. The shift toward almost like how Raelle was before she even entered the Army and met Scylla.
</p><p>But almost overwhelmingly on top of any emotion was Raelle’s love for her. She had been angry but she had still been in love. She had been grieving but she’d still loved. And she had walked through the desert, lost and weak and almost hopeless, and she still held on to their love.
</p><p>They both simultaneously pulled back, Scylla aware that she was crying, and that some of the tears on her cheeks weren’t hers.
</p><p>”Jesus, sorry. That was not hot,” Raelle laughed, her voice rough from the heaviness they both shared.
</p><p>Scylla laughed, a real genuine laugh this time, and she pulled at Raelle, took the weight of her with the same willingness to take the rest of her burdens with her. She felt her own reluctance start to fade away, the walls she’d built back up falling to let the one person who’d made her feel like she still had something to fight for, to <i>live</i> for, since she lost the two people who had mattered most to her.
</p><p>Scylla moved to shift their positions so she could maybe show Raelle how much her opening up had meant to her, but Raelle pressed her hips down to keep her in place. “Hang on. You told me to show you, yeah?”
</p><p>”Raelle…”
</p><p>When their lips met again, it was slow, like Raelle was trying to relearn Scylla after all the weeks they had been apart, after finding out that they belonged on opposite sides of the war, after finding out that their relationship had started as a lie.
</p><p>Now everything was out in the open.
</p><p>And Scylla still kissed her the same. Her hands still felt the same against Raelle’s skin. Her gasps were the same whenever Raelle’s tongue would peek out into her skin. Which made Raelle think that whatever had separated them before, whatever circumstances kept them from being together, they were secondary to how Scylla had also fallen for her.
</p><p>A truth Raelle had ripped from Scylla just a couple of weeks ago.
</p><p>Guilt had Raelle hesitating, open mouth hovering over a stiff nipple, and it was a wonder how Scylla had quickly picked up on it, and had enough self restraint to pull Raelle up to her.
</p><p>”Hey.”
</p><p>”I’m sorry for the forced link, Scylla,” Raelle whispered, heart heavy.
</p><p>”I already forgave you for that.” She nuzzled Raelle’s nose not wanting to linger on either of their mistakes when they’ve already forgiven each other. It wasn’t any wonder that they were both harder on themselves than each other.
</p><p>”I’m still sorry,” Raelle reiterated, hands holding firm on Scylla’s hips, which were still moving against the thigh Raelle had pressed against her center.
</p><p>”If you stop torturing me, we’ll call it even.”
</p><p>Raelle huffed out a laugh, before Scylla surged up to recapture her lips into a slow and sensuous kiss. She gasped against Raelle’s lips when she finally felt tips of fingers slide against her wet center.
</p><p>”Please, Rae.”
</p><p>Scylla felt her eyes rollback when one, then two fingers slid home, pressing familiarly into her, knowing exactly how to make her come and come fast. “Goddess- ah!”
</p><p>Raelle’s lips retraced her way downward to wrap around a nipple, smirking when Scylla’s back arched to meet her. She felt hands hold her in place, and she obliged, sucking eagerly.
</p><p>It only took a few more thrusts of Raelle’s fingers, before Scylla was arching further up, moaning out Raelle’s name as she came.
</p><p>Raelle would realize later that the reason she felt heat blossom through her body was because their Work had linked without them making an effort for it to.
</p><p>Raelle looked up as Scylla’s back came back down on the bed, and she watched Scylla roll her eyes when Scylla finally found the energy to look at Raelle, smug smile on her face.
</p><p>”Did you just-?“
</p><p>Scylla huffed, the blush on her cheeks probably not just because of her orgasm. “Shut up. It’s been a while ok?”
</p><p>Raelle grinned, and honestly, Scylla couldn’t find it in her to keep pretending to stay mad. “Ok, my turn.”
</p><p>But Scylla felt Raelle’s hand press on her chest to keep her in place, and watched her head dip to press a wet kiss just below her navel, and she moaned, hips already rising against the thrust of Raelle’s fingers that had not withdrawn after her orgasm.
</p><p>”I’m not done,” Raelle said, tongue already poking out, eager to taste Scylla. It sounded like a promise.
</p><p>”Then by all means,” Scylla breathlessly responded, one of her hands settling over the braids of Raelle’s hair, and the other fisting on the sheets.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Scylla would wake later. Alone.
</p><p>She felt her heart plummet, hearing only silence as she lay naked, the thin blanket they shared haphazardly draped over the lower half of her body. Her automatic reaction was dread, and she couldn’t help but wonder if it had all been a dream. She couldn’t help the tears.
</p><p>Her arms came up, hands pressing hard against her eyes as if that would stem the flow. And she didn’t bother suppressing the sob from her lips.
</p><p>But then there were hands pulling her own away, still damp probably from being washed in the bathroom where Raelle had been, and her vision gave way to a worried Raelle Collar, already gathering her into her arms.
</p><p>”Hey.” Her voice was quiet, almost cooing. “What happened, what’s wrong?”
</p><p>Scylla could only shake her head, her relief palpable. She pressed her face against Raelle’s neck, hated the fact that upon closing her eyes, the first thing her mind conjured up was Raelle’s back when she walked away from Scylla in the Necro dungeon. It just made her cry harder.
</p><p>”Scylla,” Raelle soothed, one of her hands adjusting to cup her jaw. “Baby, I’m here.”
</p><p>Scylla’s breath stuttered at that. Because she was still surprised sometimes at how much Raelle knew her despite Scylla working to keep as much information about from her mark. It could also have been Scylla inevitably opening up because of how genuine Raelle had been.
</p><p>She was always going to fall in love with Raelle, Scylla thought now.
</p><p>”I thought you left,” Scylla admitted, once she calmed down enough.
</p><p>”No,” Raelle reassured, arms tightening around the older woman. “Never again. I was stupid to the first time. I was hurt. But that’s no reason to- to do what I did.”
</p><p>”I understand.”
</p><p>”No, Scylla.” Raelle pulled away so their eyes could meet. “I never should have left you there.”
</p><p>”There wasn’t anything you could have done.”
</p><p>”Bet,” Raelle muttered, frowning at her own actions. She was stubborn enough. She was sure she could have thought of something. But she had been so angry. She had thought the one thing that had kept her afloat after drowning for so long was a lie. She thought she’d lost the one person she thought was undoubtedly on her side.
</p><p>”Stop beating yourself up over it. We’re in a fucked up situation.”
</p><p>”Yeah,” Raelle admitted, shoulders slumping a little. Everything was still so complicated. But she wanted them to be all right. “But we’re… we’re ok, right?”
</p><p>”We’ll get there,” Scylla reassured, understanding enough about herself to admit that her reaction to Raelle being gone wasn’t just because of the trauma of being left behind. There was also Scylla’s all too ready state to think the worst of any situation.
</p><p>Well she lost her parents to the Military, and she almost lost Raelle to them, too, both times she couldn’t do anything to help. She thought she was allowed a little time to be fucked up.
</p><p>”Yeah,” Raelle nodded. She tilted her head, still looking worriedly at Scylla. “Are you ok now?”
</p><p>”Yeah. Can you…”
</p><p>Raelle immediately understood, moving up the bed so she can hold Scylla when they fell asleep again, but hands gripped at her shirt preventing her from lying down.
</p><p>”Why are you clothed?” Scylla asked almost in a whine.
</p><p>”Ok, ok,” Raelle muttered, feigning annoyance as she shed her shirt and panties again, before pulling Scylla flush against her again. “What do you have against clothes?”
</p><p>”Do you want me to put on-“
</p><p>”No! Just- come here.”
</p><p>Scylla happily obliged, sinking on to Raelle’s arms for the second time that night. If only they could stay there forever.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Then next time they woke up it’s to loud knocking on their door. Before Raelle could create any decent response, Scylla was already calling out to the person.
</p><p>”We’re naked!”
</p><p>”Scylla,” Raelle hissed, pushing to her elbows.
</p><p>”It’s probably Bellweather,” Scylla retorted, trying to push Raelle back down so they could cuddle a little more. But the voice that drifted from the door wasn’t Abigail.
</p><p>”Private Collar. General Alder has called for your unit.”
</p><p>Raelle threw her arm over her eyes in a futile attempt to cover the rising blush on her cheeks.
</p><p>”We’ll be right out, Cos!”
</p><p>Raelle wanted to be embarrassed and annoyed but all she was was happy that Scylla was partly back to being her sassy self. She was also immediately distracted by Scylla getting up from the bed and stretching.
</p><p>”See something you like?”
</p><p>Raelle shrugged, smiling up at her. “It’s love, actually. I love you.”
</p><p>Scylla seemed to melt at the words, before she rolled her eyes, not bothering to hide her own blush. “Get dressed, Private.”
</p><p>”Yes, ma’am.”
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Raelle shifted uncomfortably, always on edge whenever they were meeting with Alder. Ever since her decision to take in Tally with little deliberation during their mission in China, Alder had been in Raelle’s shit list. She didn’t care who she was. She’d almost cursed Tally to a life whose sole purpose was to keep Alder alive. Raelle would hate her for it forever.
</p><p>Not any less distrustful of her, Abigail stood stiffly in between the other two, always putting herself in a position that would allow her to step in front of either of them in case she needed to. She’d long since willingly taken the responsibility of being their leader in stride. And if this was meeting where they were reprimanded, she would take the brunt of it.
</p><p>Tally stood doing everything she could to stop herself from fidgeting. As always, it wasn’t just Alder in the room. Her seven biddies were scattered in the room, all scrutinizing the three of them. No matter how legal her decision to leave the biddy life behind, she still felt guilty. It was a sacred role. It was an honor to be chosen. But she hadn’t been. She had offered her life back then, and she had decided to take it back a few weeks after. It didn’t stop her from thinking like she’d committed some sort of Witch Blasphemy.
</p><p>”What was different?” Alder asked, having chosen to have this conversation with all of them on their feet. It was only a briefing, and she only needed what little information they could give her. 
</p><p>They had already discussed what to say before they arrived. Anacostia knew what happened, could guess by the way both Raelle and Scylla looked rejuvenated that morning.  Anacostia had been ready to intervene when Scylla was taken, but she’d been taken out of the fight not long after by none other than the Unit. She also wasn’t sure about revealing that information to Alder.
</p><p>Abigail took point. “We believe it was the stress of the situation. We haven’t really tried to replicate circumstances during the training sessions.”
</p><p>”There’s more,” Alder fished, watching their transparent faces. They were try to protect someone. “Tell me.”
</p><p>”That’s all we figured out-“
</p><p>The room was suddenly filled by hissing, the biddies showing their displeasure at being lied to. Raelle barely held back a grimace, and Abigail had to swallow to clear her throat before talking again.
</p><p>”Maybe if we mimic the circumstances during training…” Abigail prevented herself from looking to the other two for reassurance, knowing any weakness would be exploited.
</p><p>And it was.
</p><p>”Private Craven? Is this true?”
</p><p>Tally hesitated, spine stiffening, but she kept her eyes trained on Alder. She could feel the eyes of all the biddies on her. She was told it was ok to leave, that the circumstances of her joining the biddies was unusual so she was allowed to take her own life back, but she couldn’t help but feel like their superiors were constantly shooting her disapproving looks. 
</p><p>She nodded jerkily to confirm what Abigail said. “Yes.”
</p><p>But her answer had taken too long. She already knew they were lying.
</p><p>She looked at Raelle last, knowing from the reports of their trainers in Basic that she had the been the one to use a widespread sleep spell beyond her years and expertise. But she’d done it without any strain on her powers.
</p><p>”Tell me the truth, Private Collar.”
</p><p>Raelle grit her teeth, not wanting Scylla to be involved anymore than she already was with the Military and the Spree. So she shrugged. “That’s really all, General.”
</p><p>”Tell me, or else.” They saw the expression on Alder’s face turn dangerous, then her eyes went back to Tally. 
</p><p>Suddenly, Tally was choking, hands coming up to scrape at invisible things wrapped around her neck. It didn’t take long for her to start turning blue.
</p><p>”Stop. Stop it!” She was beside Tally after a moment, not really knowing what to do.
</p><p>But it took Raelle standing in Alder’s line of sight toward Tally for the spell to break, obviously requiring visual contact to be cast, and her look was murderous. “It was Scylla, ok?!” 
</p><p>The spell completely broke at that, but Alder’s stare did not relent.”
</p><p>Raelle sneered, before gritting her teeth, knowing the three of them were in over their head right now. And she loved Scylla, would protect her to the ends of the world, but she also couldn’t let her Unit take the fall for her.
</p><p>”I panicked,” Raelle revealed. “She was going to take my place.” She looked back at Abigail, got a worried nod in response. “There was apparently a plot to take out our Unit. They already know we’re some kind of weapon.”
</p><p>”Impossible.”
</p><p>”Raelle was the target,” Abigail corroborated. “The Spree knew about the attack.”
</p><p>They could see no change in Alder’s expression at the information, and they didn’t know if she already knew or if the Army also knew but kept it quiet in the higher ranks. If so, that was shitty of them, still going through with the Ball.
</p><p>”And why would that traitor be a trigger, Private Collar?”
</p><p>Raelle pulled herself up to her full height, albeit it did nothing for anyone in the room. But she would not cower in front of Alder. This was one thing she wasn’t ashamed about.
</p><p>”Because I love her.”
</p><p>”That’s treasonous.”
</p><p>”She’s the only reason I wasn’t taken,” Raelle shot back, no longer caring about propriety. “If you’d kept the Camarilla out-“
</p><p>Alder glared at her, mouth opening just the slightest bit to recast the spell, but this time the three of them were ready.
</p><p>Raelle was already reaching back to meet Abigail’s hand, who bridged their link as she held on to Tally, and a strong transparent protection spell erected around them. Still it took everything in the three of them just to keep it up, not wanting any one of them to go through what Tally had just a few moments ago.
</p><p>Alder seemed to wait until the three of them were at the limits of their power, before letting up and she clasped her hands behind her back. “Dismissed.”
</p><p>Abigail hauled Tally to her feet and she had to jerk at Raelle’s hand to get her to start moving and stop glaring at Alder.
</p><p>They had reason to believe before that Alder was reaching the end of her patience, and was becoming more and more reckless. This was just another reason to start disbelieving her intentions.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>General Alder grit her teeth as she watched the Unit go, walking back toward her seat. She had wondered about what could have triggered the Witchbomb, and she was more than a little irked that it was the Spree traitor who had successfully infiltrated her Base.
</p><p>She would double their training sessions out of spite, but not just. They did need to be able to tap into their powers regardless of whatever triggers they have. And Alder did not have it in her to promise the safety of a Spree operative in this war. But if her death triggers another Witchbomb, then keeping her alive would be worth it.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Raelle was then summoned alone to an office outside of the safehouse  they were held in.
</p><p>When she entered, she saw General Petra Bellweather on her seat, and Sergeant Anacostia Quartermaine was standing a few feet away from the table. Anacostia had given her a heads up just before that they needed allies. That only meant changing hands, Raelle knew. It meant she’d be free of Alder, but not that she’d be free at all.
</p><p>”Private Collar.”
</p><p>”General.” Raelle stood at attention, and Petra waved a hand to motion for her to be at ease.
</p><p>”Sergeant Quartermaine tells me that you might be a good asset for our cause.”
</p><p>”You go behind Alder’s back and hold missions on your own.” Raelle ignored Anacostia looking immediately frustrated with her, but she knew what this was about. Petra was supposed to get Alder’s position a few months ago, but Alder pulled her puppetry act, and now they were stuck with a power hungry leader. It didn’t mean that Petra would be any less power hungry if she somehow managed to oust Alder.
</p><p>Petra didn’t bother shielding her from what was happening. “General Alder has made some very questionable decision the past few months, and there has been a faction in the Military who believe she might not be the best leader at this time.”
</p><p>”Begging your pardon, General, but why would you think I’d want to be on your team?”
</p><p>Petra had to raise a hand to stop Anacostia from probably strangling Raelle. She slowly brought her hand down, looking entirely too sure that Raelle would take her offer. “Because General Alder will be taking out the Spree the moment the Camarilla are taken care of. Her feud with the Spree is no secret. She will want to eliminate each and everyone of them. No one will be spared.”
</p><p>Raelle stiffened. “And what about you?”
</p><p>Petra steepled her fingers in front of her. “I offer full pardon for Scylla Ramshorn should you choose to fight with me, Private Collar.”
</p><p>Raelle couldn’t help how her eyes widened in shock. The rumors about Scylla being the one to kill 1600 people in one attack was already circulating. There wasn’t any confirmation, but the fact that she was Spree wasn’t a secret anymore, not after the joint missions and the fact that she had stood with the Spree operative in all of them. As far as everyone knew, she was a traitor.
</p><p>Raelle felt all that she believed in collapse into this one moment. Scylla had said that she couldn’t promise Raelle anything because of her unique position in the war. But if Raelle took this deal, maybe they <i>could</i> have a future together. A peaceful one, away from everything that had used to tie them down.
</p><p>But Raelle tried to reign herself in. While Alder’s intentions were getting more and more murky, Petra probably wasn’t any different. But Scylla…
</p><p>”Just like that? You’ll pardon her?”
</p><p>Petra nodded. “And my only condition is you fight on the right side of this war, Private Collar.”
</p><p>Raelle wanted to question whether Petra was even on the right side of the war, or if she was just like everyone else with a personal agenda. She wanted to ask about what being on her side entailed, if that meant she was a spy now, what that meant for her Unit. But Petra Bellweather beat her to it.
</p><p>”Your Unit will not be affected. This arrangement is just between the two of us. There might be some… unprecedented conflicts, but those are unavoidable in any war.”
</p><p>”Does Abigail know?”
</p><p>Petra raised her chin. “She does. I have already assigned her a job. She didn’t want to bring you in without your individual agreements, so I had planned to approach you separately. I will be speaking with Private Craven soon, too.”
</p><p>Raelle was quiet again, having less and less reason to not agree to the arrangement. She could ensure their safety with the Military, but Scylla… this was probably her only chance at freedom.
</p><p>”I need assurance. That Scylla will be pardoned.”
</p><p>Petra stood, already ready with a binding spell. And Raelle noticed that it was the first time Anacostia had moved, unsure, probably not informed that Petra had intended for them to actually be <i>bound</i>.
</p><p>Petra extended her hand out to Raelle, no hesitation in her actions. Bonds forged through Work were dangerous in the sense that they sometimes wrought consequences that would lead to the completion of the bonds, and they sometimes weren’t things that you’d normally expect. But some have ended in their quiet completion.
</p><p>There was just no way of predicting possible extenuation circumstances.
</p><p>But Raelle slid her hand on to larger rougher ones and she thought about Scylla, always the least valued, always the most expendable in a war that didn’t care about her and Raelle vowed that to her, Scylla would always come first.
</p><p>So she whispered the seed for the binding seal at the same time Petra did, feeling the split second constriction in chest that made her unable to breathe for that moment, but then it was gone, and the only trace left, as seals go, was a line intersected by two shorter ones on the inside of her wrist, before it faded.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It was more emotional smut than anything else, I guess. I hope it was ok. I also raised the rating just to be sure, but it seemed not to be very smutty tbh.</p><p>@katie: thank you so much. I hope the smut was ok. hahaha I think I made it more emotional than actually smutty<br/>@RayllaEndgame: 1 I'll try and play around with it, see where it could go 2 better smut in the future I promise hahaha. More Scylla+Unit in the future. Just have to figure out how to get them together since this whole their in college thing is hard to get around. but we're finally at the point where Scylla's starting to heal! Finally!<br/>@fsalem: angst makes sense to write for these two so it's just gonna be there. thanks for sticking with it!<br/>@jackattack3113: definitely agree with the human psyche. I love Scylla a lot and I love how open to exploration she is because of the ambiguity of her stance. honestly, the most broken are the most interesting, yes?<br/>@moonlightdrip: yeah... I hurt myself too. they both need therapy. everyone does actually.<br/>@AnnaDarling: I hope it was ok. promise to have uh hotter scenes in the future? hahaha I made it emotional this time around.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Mistrust Bred</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The Military loses the trust of the people it vows to protect.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>”What’s happening?”
</p><p>Tally’s eyes stayed glued for a few more seconds at the placards and the chanting from the TV installed in the cafeteria, much like how it was during Basic. She’d started the day great with a rare written letter from her mother without any of the condescending reminders to please come home. But then she’d arrived at the cafeteria that morning to murmurs from her fellow students, and all eyes were on the screen.
</p><p>Tally looked back at Abigail and Raelle who had come in to breakfast a little later than she did. “There’s been growing unrest. Protests have broken out everywhere. They-“ Tally hesitated, disbelief and frustration warring in her facial expression. “They’re voicing out their mistrust of witches. Especially after the Ball.” Tally made a face. “There’s even a hashtag,” she continued, pointing toward the bottom of the news report where <i>#BurnTheWitches</i> was being flashed.
</p><p>Abigail looked angry, still not quite able to shed the entitlement of being honored as part of the Military. Raelle just looked like she’d expected it. Scylla had even mentioned it when they were at the museum during Beltane. Something so sinister that it drove people to burn witches centuries ago probably wouldn’t be completely gone. There would always be protesters. They were just a lot worse now because of the attacks from the Spree.
</p><p>And while the Military had immediately issued a statement admitting to the resurfacing of the Camarilla, many people believe that if it weren’t for the Spree, who have organized enough attacks to establish themselves as a significant portion of all witches, then Camarilla would have stayed dormant.
</p><p>Raelle thought it was only a matter of time. They were just waiting for the best moment to reveal themselves. The Spree attacks igniting the fear of the common population on witches was the perfect spark.
</p><p>”That was the Camarilla,” Abigail said needlessly.
</p><p>”I mean the final blow was Collar, wasn’t it?”
</p><p>Abigail was immediately rounding on whoever had spoken, and it was only Tally’s hand on her arm that stopped her from delivering an instinctive physical blow, not even bothering to use Work. Abigail decided to shift tactics, knowing Tally wouldn’t let her punch someone. “And where were you, Spence? Didn’t you run to hide instead of staying to fight with your sisters?”
</p><p>The other girl was on her feet in a second, matching Abigail toe to toe. Abigail was taller, and definitely had a more formidable reputation. She was young, but everyone knew she was already one of the best blasters in War College. But Tony Spence was a sophomore. And hierarchy was everything in the Military.
</p><p>”Stand down, privates.”
</p><p>Spence was the first to step back with a sneer, giving a slight nod to one of the sergeants who oversaw their training before walking away. Abigail kept her eyes on her senior, not one to back down from anyone attacking her Unit.
</p><p>”I said stand down, soldier.” Sergeant Philip Heron repeated, one of the few men teaching on campus. Most prefer to teach on the field, and they have yet to meet them. “You’ve been called in again.”
</p><p>They murmured their confirmations that they understood where they were expected, and they ignored the looks they got as they did. They were getting more and more attention as the trio who were the youngest to be included so regularly in special op missions, and it wasn’t putting them in the good graces of their peers. Except Glory. She thought it was cool they keep getting called in.
</p><p>It wasn’t, Raelle thought. After the accidental semi-witchbomb of two weeks ago, their trainings have been about simulating stressful situations that might require them to tap into energy stores that they normal are not able to, which is what had happened during the Camarilla attack. But Raelle was their beacon during that time, and she was less and less motivated to try the more time she spent away from Scylla.
</p><p>And when their trainer had so much as suggested that Scylla should be tapped as some sort of bait for their powers, Raelle had blown out the windows of their training room, draining herself of her powers for two days. No one tried to suggest anything of the sort since.
</p><p>So they were once again stuck tapping-into-their-powers-wise. But they were all improving as far as regular training was going.
</p><p>A few hours later they were stepping out of a briefing for a mission that was going to be held in a few days. Unlike their previous ones, the preparation for this one was longer, so they would have to meet up off base with the other Spree agents a two days prior. They were going to be infiltrating a Camarilla lab, as per the information obtained by Spree operatives, and it was probably going to be their most dangerous mission to date.
</p><p>Raelle couldn’t wait.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>They settled down on the bunk of the base of operations for the current mission. It was a rare commodity afforded when they were given their own rooms. Usually they were all inside one room dormitory style, or camped outside in the woods, but their current mission was close to an old Military base that used to house civilians instead of soldiers, so it was a little more comfortable than the previous places they’d stayed.
</p><p>They had strict instructions to stay in their rooms until the next morning when they would hold drills to get used to the layout of the place they were infiltrating. They heard rumors that the Spree had finally let the Military in on sending in spies, and despite warnings that they usually lost informants, the Military had sent in people.
</p><p>They didn’t hear about the casualties, yet, but there was already talk of a couple of missing students the past week.
</p><p>Raelle had no plans to follow the rules set for them, not when she’d paid more attention to Scylla seated across the room than her superior during the briefing. Dangerous shit, she thought as she passed by Tally who was seated on the floor, fiddling with something in her bag.
</p><p>”Are you sure it’s ok to go out?” Tally looked up from what she was doing to see Raelle fidgeting with her left hand.
</p><p>”Nope.”
</p><p>Abigail rolled her eyes, already in bed, as always, completely focused on the task at hand. “Don’t get caught, Collar.”
</p><p>Raelle raised her eyebrows, already whispering the seed Tally had taught them for camouflage. “Not going to stop me?”
</p><p>”Just don’t get us killed day after tomorrow.”
</p><p>Raelle felt a twinge of guilt at that. She had been getting progressively distracted the past two weeks, and so far it hasn’t been good for her Unit. But she’d just gotten Scylla back.
</p><p>And anyway. When it mattered, she always pulled through.
</p><p>”It’s your job to keep us alive, right? Linking with a dying teammate?”
</p><p>Abigail snorted while Tally admonished them again about joking about them nearly dying. With a muttered apology for Tally, she was off, slinking in the dark corridors of the base.
</p><p>It didn’t take her too long to get to where the Spree were located, a decidedly danker, darker part of the building as a soft fuck you from the Military for once again withholding information about the Camarilla attack during the Ball. And Scylla was already waiting at the end, in front of a room that she figured was the one she’d sequestered for them.
</p><p>Raelle was almost at a run, but immediately slowed down when she arrived by Scylla, still a little reluctant after all they’ve been through. They kind of made up, but there hadn’t been much talking after that night when she’d told Scylla to choose them. She had heard from Anacostia that Scylla had started to try and lay low so she wouldn’t keep getting assigned into dangerous missions in the Spree, but there was really only so much Scylla could do to avoid being sent out.
</p><p>”Hey,” Raelle whispered, feeling everything inside of her light up when Scylla looked up to meet her camouflaged self, smile spreading through her lips. “You taking me away?”
</p><p>Scylla almost seemed to melt, registering the exchange of words they’d agreed on so both of them would know it was really each other whenever they met. To avoid imposters from taking advantage of each other’s faces. “Actually… can we dance for a minute?”
</p><p>When Scylla had suggested it, explaining that someone had used a mask to trick Scylla that Raelle was in her room once, Raelle had agreed because it sounded like a good idea. She hadn’t yet told Scylla that her Work had been changing, that being around Scylla was confirmation enough that it was her. Raelle could <i>feel</i> her. The same way she could most familiarly feel her Unit.
</p><p>But receiving the confirmation still acted as her go signal to approach, and she didn’t waste any time bringing her hands up to cup at Scylla cheeks and pull her closer.
</p><p>They stumbled their way inside, almost tripping around each other’s feet. But they managed to open the door and let themselves in, Raelle ending up with her back against the door.
</p><p>”My turn,” Scylla murmured against Raelle’s lips, hands already working to undo the fly of Raelle’s pants.
</p><p>”I mean, you got your turn last time,” Raelle managed to reply, despite Scylla soon dropping to her knees in front of her, pulling Raelle’s pants down. Her eyes slid closed when she felt lips press against the edge of her underwear.
</p><p>”Are you complaining, private?”
</p><p>”No, ma’am. Please continue.”
</p><p>Raelle felt Scylla’s triumphant grin against her skin, but she couldn’t help but feel like she was the one winning.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>They eventually found themselves on the bed, thankfully dust free despite not having been prepared like the rest of the rooms because of a simple seed from Raelle. They lay curled up face to face, skin drying from the sweat of their activities, hands intertwined, legs intertwined, and close enough to count each other’s eyelashes.
</p><p>”How have you been?” Raelle asked, voice quiet, body still thrumming from their shared Work after sex.
</p><p>Scylla closed her eyes, then scooted closer, as if there was still any space to move toward her… Raelle. “Better. Not having you put me in a bad place, Raelle.”
</p><p>”Me, too,” Raelle admitted, thinking back to the time when she was told Scylla was dead, to the time when she found out Scylla had used her. “But how’s…”
</p><p>Scylla understood despite Raelle not knowing how to ask. Despite knowing about Scylla’s allegiance, which was really a lack thereof, Scylla knew there was still a part of Raelle, the part that was inherently <i>good</i> that didn’t understand Scylla. “They haven’t sent me in to any missions lately, and it’s difficult to tell if there are any ongoing missions without actually being in them.”
</p><p>”And where are you staying?”
</p><p>”You don’t have to worry about me, Rae.”
</p><p>”You’ll stop worrying about me, too, if I tell you that?”
</p><p>Scylla sighed. “No. Um… Anacostia has a place, nondescript. It’s Hidden. And it’s been in her father’s family for a while. She doesn’t want me hanging around Spree hideouts, either.”
</p><p>Raelle seemed to deflate a little. “I hope you know that mentioning Anacostia is a turnoff for me.”
</p><p>Scylla laughed, noting that the hand that had been slowly making its way from her waist to her butt had stopped its ministrations. “You asked!”
</p><p>”Yeah, yeah. I’m just glad you’re safe.” Raelle pulled at Scylla until she was nestled on her shoulder, Raelle’s arms around her.
</p><p>”You ever gonna try and explain how you made all those people sleep when you saved me?” Scylla voice had already slipped past teasing to a little slurred with encroaching sleep. It warmed Raelle to know she felt comfortable enough to immediately fall asleep around her.
</p><p>”Yeah, sure. When we have time.” Raelle squeezed her shoulders, and Scylla nuzzled further into her in response. “We have so little time Scylla.”
</p><p>”Still have that walk on the beach scheduled,” Scylla mumbled.
</p><p>”No plans of kidnapping me this time?”
</p><p>”Definitely taking you away. All to myself.”
</p><p>The corner of Raelle’s lips lifted, hearing Scylla’s breaths even out. She was glad they were more open now. They still had to talk about a lot of things, including the deal Raelle made for Scylla’s freedom after the war. But for now they could pretend for a few hours that there was only them. She didn’t know when they’d be able to have time like this again.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>”I’m surprised she’s here.”
</p><p>Raelle looked away from making eyes with Scylla having breakfast across the room from the Unit, smirk still in place. “What?”
</p><p>Tally shrugged her shoulders, nodding at Abigail who had erected a privacy seed around them, much like everyone else there, not really trusting each other with their conversations. “I mean… from what Abigail said, she had been taking those Work amplifying pills.” Tally’s eyebrows scrunched, as they always did when she was trying to think about some left over knowledge from being an biddy to the oldest witch in history. “From what I can-“ she made a bouncy motion with her head, and made air quotes, “-remember, it takes a lot of healing time to recover from that. I mean, Fixing helps, but I doubt the Spree would take care of her.”
</p><p>Raelle was frowning now, looking back toward where Scylla was, talking with someone in her group, probably about strategy. “What do you mean?”
</p><p>Abigail finished off her coffee. “That Scylla probably hasn’t fully healed.  You must have noticed.” Abigail raised her eyebrows to indicate that she was pertaining to their newfound powers of sensing Work.
</p><p>”I… I thought that was just because she was tired.”
</p><p>Abigail looked blandly at her. “From all the sex you’ve been having?”
</p><p>”No! I mean-“ Raelle leaned back, pushing away her half done plate of food. “She doesn’t exactly have this, ok?” She motioned to the three of them. “She’s alone like most of the time. That’s gotta be bad, right? Witches are all about community and shit.”
</p><p>Abigail backed off, acknowledging that Raelle was right. In that regard, Scylla was different from them, but she couldn’t help but think that really, Scylla was alone because of the choices she herself had made. But Abigail didn’t voice those out. “Well, whatever. It’s too late now. We need to get ready. Those seniors have been eyeing us and we’re already suspicious enough already being called here as freshmen.”
</p><p>Raelle intercepted Scylla before she could get far from the mess hall after breakfast.
</p><p>”Scylla, are you really ok?”
</p><p>Scylla’s eyebrows scrunched in confusion, but she waved away the other Spree members to go ahead of her to where their vehicle waited. “Yeah, of course. Why?”
</p><p>”Tally said because of the soldier pills…”
</p><p>Scylla’s expression cleared and she seemed to hesitate before speaking. “Mostly. I’m not back to normal, yet-“
</p><p>”Then why did they send you here? We’re infiltrating a Camarilla facility.”
</p><p>”Calm down, Raelle,” Scylla tried to placate her, keeping her distance. It was never going to look good, their relationship, and they have yet to set boundaries about how they’d act in public. But out of the two of them, Raelle cared less about what people thought. Really one of the things Scylla loved about her. But it wasn’t going to be doing Raelle any favors to be associated with her now.
</p><p>”If there’s any chance this is a danger to you-“
</p><p>”I can handle one mission. It won’t even last the entire day. I can handle that much. I promise I’ll rest after.” Scylla’s voice was quiet, not wanting to rouse attention.
</p><p>There really wasn’t any time to have anyone backout. Scylla was at least just backup for this mission. She’d been in the frontlines the couple missions in the past, and they were rotating who got the leads, except for the point persons and the Fixers.
</p><p>Raelle nodded, still looking troubled, but she backed off. Scylla tried her best to show her reassurance through her eyes, not able to reach out to Raelle with so many people around them. Raelle nodded again, hoping things didn’t get too rough once they get there. This was the first mission they were expecting any form of significant resistance. They needed to be ready.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The mission was going well until it wasn’t.
</p><p>They entered the basement of an abandoned factory. Despite the surgically removed voice boxes that were modified to produce unknown seeds, the infiltration was efficient, and it didn’t take long for them to reach the heart of the facility.
</p><p>It was textbook villainy, Raelle thought. It was dark, the area was dank. There were rats everywhere. It wasn’t a place where sterile experiments were being carried out. There were traps set for them, but they were easily dismantled by the two members who had been recruited specifically for demolitions.
</p><p>The heart of the facility contained two witches who were being tortured, one of them already dead, the other bleeding out from the throat. There were at least six other people there, probably part of a medical team, and they were very quickly apprehended. That’s why it was a surprise for there to have been an explosion.
</p><p>Raelle’s eyes immediately tried to look for Scylla and her Unit, all accounted for. She thanked the Goddess she already had her Work to help her look for them in a small room. But the rest of the members in that level were in disarray, and there was a commotion somewhere Raelle couldn’t really localize because of the smoke starting to cover the area.
</p><p>”Secure the prisoners!”
</p><p>”Stand down, private!”
</p><p>Raelle’s frowned at that, taking note that the prisoners were actually already secured, and whoever called out the command was probably making sure the explosion didn’t cause any unnecessary casualties, even for the captured Camarilla.
</p><p>When Raelle found the source of the commotion, her eyes widened in shock.
</p><p>Two military cadets had four Spree agents prone and bleeding at their feet, knives drawn.
</p><p>”My grandfather was in that swimming pool. You killed him!” One of them pointed threateningly at the bodies, then up at another Spree agent, scourge already at the ready.
</p><p>”I know the Military train you to kill civilians, too, but-“
</p><p>”Don’t make the situation worse, Spree!”
</p><p>The Spree agent laughed, raising his hands in mock surrender, knowing despite being the receiver of the violence, amongst all these Army kids, he was outnumbered. “What could be worse than killing your own kind?”
</p><p>It took six others to subdue the errant cadets, who had fought against the restraints more than the captured Camarilla.
</p><p>Honestly, Raelle was surprised it took this long before someone had voiced out their concerns about working with the Spree. She didn’t even completely expect for there not to be casualties.
</p><p>The mood was tense as they packed up, securing the facility for a second sweep, taking charge of the prisoners. They didn’t lose anyone but the four Spree members who were killed by one of their own.
</p><p>The Spree split from the group despite plans for a debriefing, and she saw Scylla lift a hand surreptitiously to wave at her in goodbye.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>”I wouldn’t be surprised if it was some sort of Seed by one of the Spree. They must have done something to Daniel.”
</p><p>”Yeah, he wouldn’t do something like that.”
</p><p>”I didn’t know he lost his grandfather in one of the attacks. He’s always been so quiet.”
</p><p>”But what about Elly? I thought she was really quiet.”
</p><p>”Yeah, she was. But she just up and started stabbing at one of the Spree agents, I heard.”
</p><p>”Was it provoked?”
</p><p>”It couldn’t have been. I heard everyone was busy with their own assignments. You know how those go. You’re ordered to do one thing, you’re only supposed to do the one thing.”
</p><p>”I mean it’s the Spree. They probably did something.”
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>”The Army is losing control of its people.”
</p><p>President Wade stood by the windows of her office, thumb picking at the tip of her index finger. She didn’t use to have a tick, but ever since her mind had been taken over, and so publicly by the leader of the witches, she had become wary.
</p><p>She realized that she would only be able to take back control if she resorted to subterfuge.
</p><p>She turned back to the person she’d called to meet with her. Another witch, she lamented. But she’d worked with her before, and she had been her first choice for a change in leadership. The general was just power hungry enough to collaborate with her, and turn her back to the current leader of the witches, especially after the title was robbed of her.
</p><p>”I trust your plans of making allies has bore fruit?”
</p><p>General Petra Bellweather gave the most minuscule of nods, military training keeping her almost immovable. “Many are unhappy about the decisions that General Alder has been making about our people, and the civilians. She’s lost her way. Losing so blatantly against the Spree, the people she thought she’d already eradicated resurfacing… She’s becoming reckless.”
</p><p>The president nodded her head, looking away. She remember the fear that filled her at losing control of her faculties, of being surrounded by people meant to protect her, but were unable to even see that something was wrong. It was Petra Bellweather who had approached her afterward, Sergeant Anacostia Quartermaine at her side, with explanations and apologies.
</p><p>Kelly Wade wasn’t against witches. In fact, she understood how valuable they were as the Military. She recognized that maybe it wasn’t the fairest that they were required to enlist, but she had other priorities during her term. Maybe if she would be reelected she could do something about that. But with a possible insurrection brewing in the within the Military itself, things were tense.
</p><p>For the first time ever, she was considering that maybe witches were too volatile, too powerful to put in a position of power.
</p><p>”And you will be ready to take on her position once we successfully carry out this coup?”
</p><p>”I will be. It will be an honor to serve the United States of America as leader of this faction of its citizens.”
</p><p>President Wade hoped so. General Sarah Alder will be a formidable opponents, and she had witches sacrificing their lives to prolong hers. She will not be an easy witch to take down.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It's so hard to give them quiet communicating moments when there's a war brewing. T-T</p><p>RayllaEndgame - We'll see where that goes with Petra. Even I'm not completely sure...<br/>Saturn01 - We'll see! I definitely want a future for them. I'll find a way even if Petra ends up not holding her end of the deal.<br/>katie - thank you so much. Definitely want more moments for them, but it's so hard with the war. Raelle is definitely infinitely more protective of Scylla after almost losing her.<br/>RagnarWolf - Definitely excited to write about Willa. I feel like I've really villainized her. And we'll see how Scylla feels!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Threads</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The unrest gets worse. Raelle starts to acknowledge that something rare was gravitating her toward Scylla.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Conscription day came and it was the messiest one since the first few years of conscription.
</p><p>Protests broke out once again in the cities known to have the densest population of witches. The unrest had already spread like wildfire, and the doubts ranged from simple mistrust to blatant blaming of the witches for the reemergence of the Camarilla. And it didn’t help at all that rumors about the Spree and the Military coming together to fight a common enemy had started to circulate.
</p><p>It was unavoidable. The relative silence from the Spree ever since the Concord had raised eyebrows from the general population. There were still the occasional fear-mongering, of causing gatherings to chant something, or to cause widespread hallucinations, but the mass killings had abruptly stopped. There was definitely a tone of relief, but the lack of attacks the past few weeks was making a lot of people uneasy. Most thought it was the Spree preparing for a massive invasion, but the conspiracy theorists have already started to spread rumors of a possible coalition between the people who were sworn to protect the masses, and the people who blame the masses for allowing the continued sacrifice of lives of a few for the many.
</p><p>The fact that the Spree had been eerily silent the entirety of Conscription day had everyone on edge.
</p><p>”Honestly, after the stunt we pulled during the Ball,” Scylla muttered, looking up at a reporter in the television behind the bar who was interviewing people at a protest near them.
</p><p>Anacostia worked her jaw as she thought about that night, when the Spree had chosen to keep information from the Military, rendering them unprepared for the Camarilla infiltration. Everything had been setup to make it look like the Camarilla would be able to capture a decoy for Raelle, and it should have bought them some time before the Camarilla figured out they actually had the wrong person.
</p><p>But the Spree had chosen the wrong person to sacrifice, and aside from capturing members of the Camarilla who were refusing to talk, all they got from that night was outrage from very important people who had been rendered unconscious by a spell that saved them.
</p><p>And the fact that security camera footage of a young trio of cadets causing the widespread spell had fanned the flames of distrust and chaos.
</p><p>The Military was scrambling.
</p><p>”Have you heard anything?” Anacostia asked, raising the glass of water to her lips from the bar top where Scylla and she had decided to settle down to have their weekly checkups.
</p><p>Scylla shook her head. “I’m complicit, Cos. I feel like the only reason the Spree is keeping me is because they know they can use me against Raelle. They’ve stopped involving me in planning sessions. And I barely got away from my tail today.”
</p><p>”They know about you two?”
</p><p>Scylla slumped. She’d specifically refrained from revealing to Anacostia that Raelle’s mother was involved in the Spree. The older Collar had yet to reveal herself, and Scylla was leaving it entirely up to Raelle what to do with the information. And out of the few conversations they’d had, it seemed Raelle was perfectly happy to pretend she didn’t know her mother was still alive.
</p><p>She finished off the last of her dinner, not knowing when she’d be having another full meal because of how much she was moving to avoid both the Spree and the Military. “Yes. They know I failed to bring Raelle in because I got too attached. They know Raelle caused everyone else but her unit and me to pass out that day.”
</p><p>”Nothing to do about that now.” Anacostia looked down at the sticky bar top, before looking up at the television. “So you have nothing to report?”
</p><p>Scylla picked at the tip of her fingers as she pondered the question. “Just one thing. The Spree… I don’t know how long they’re going to keep the alliance. They’ve basically achieved what they want to achieve.”
</p><p>Anacostia frowned. “What do you mean?”
</p><p>Scylla almost rolled her eyes. “This is the problem with people who are too good. You’ll never understand where we come from.”
</p><p>”Help me understand, Scylla.”
</p><p>Scylla looked around at the familiar Conscription Day decor at the very civilian bar they were hanging at. It was easier to blend in with civilians who probably wouldn’t know them, and probably wouldn’t think to check if they had glamours on, so they met up at dense places filled with them. They really should be more wary of witches.
</p><p>”It wasn’t a coincidence that we killed 1600 people exactly one year ago.” Scylla looked at the Anacostia for a second, the ghosts of what she had shadowing her eyes, before looking back out at the people around them. “All we needed to do was create unrest. The rest would follow.”
</p><p>”The rest?”
</p><p>The ex-Spree agent shrugged. “You think civilians would still trust us with their lives if a seemingly significant faction of us are the ones killing them? We never intended to fight the Military. That would have been stupid and reckless. We targeted the very people that maintained that system of slaughter.”
</p><p>Scylla looked around the pub they had chosen that day, at all the civilians who the Spree held complicit to the sacrifice of witches. They all just expected to be served by people whose existence was only allowed as long as they were fighting their wars.
</p><p>”You’re not wrong.”
</p><p>Scylla looked back at Anacostia, surprised.
</p><p>”What, you think I just help you out because of your pleasing personality?” Anacostia motioned for the bartender to finally give a beer, and she told herself it was the only thing she could have.
</p><p>”But the Military means everything to you.”
</p><p>”And therefore I hold it to the highest of standards.”
</p><p>Scylla slowly turned her body toward Anacostia. All this time she thought Anacostia was trying to convert her to be fully supportive of the Military. “You want change.”
</p><p>”I want what you want. Freedom. If it’s to join the Army like me, then generations after us should be able to do so. If it’s just to live your life like you…” Then she looked at Scylla then, eyes clear of judgment. “Then you should be able to, too.”
</p><p>Scylla opened her mouth to reply, but she realized she didn’t really have anything to say to that. She didn’t think Anacostia, firm believer in the system since being brought into it after her parents died, would let herself doubt it. But here she was, sat beside a Spree who has killed more people than Anacostia ever would in her lifetime. And most of them not innocent.
</p><p>”You can stay at the house for tonight.”
</p><p>Scylla started shaking her head before Anacostia even finished her sentence. “I’ve stayed there almost every other night last week. They’re going to follow me there soon, and they’ll know you’re fraternizing with a Spree.”
</p><p>”Then where will you stay?”
</p><p>”You’re the one who said there’s always somewhere to go.” Scylla smiled, a rare genuine one, but Anacostia realized they were becoming more and more frequent with her, especially after Scylla and Raelle were reunited.
</p><p>Anacostia nodded, worrying furrowing her brows. “All right. But if anything happens-“
</p><p>”I know how to contact you. You’re warming to me, Cos.”
</p><p>”Probably a Seed.”
</p><p>Scylla barked out a laugh as she watched Anacostia flip her hood up to cover most of the top part of her face. The glamour would take care of the rest. “No, you actually like me.”
</p><p>Scylla laughed again when she watched Anacostia shake her head, slapping a few bills on the counter, before throwing her a parting, “Be careful out there, all right?”
</p><p>Scylla nodded, lips stretched into a smile, whispering a seed that would prolong Anacostia’s glamour the entire way, knowing the basic Seed for that was easy to break with Military grade detection. In turn, she felt something warm settle around her shoulders, and the corner of her lips lifted. A higher level Seed that didn’t require a glamour, but allowed her to remain unnoticeable for fours hours, Anacostia had once explained. It would be enough time for her to find a place to lay low. Anacostia had let slip a couple a weeks ago that she’d been brushing up on Seeds she didn’t normally use, and Scylla had a strong suspicion the sergeant wasn’t really using it for herself.
</p><p>Scylla exited the pub about 30 minutes later, heart heavy with the burden of needing to run, but made a little lighter with the knowledge that she had someone who looked out for her.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The atmosphere inside the Base had changed. Classes have shifted toward combat preparation. There were still a few lectures, but they were mostly theoretical discussion heavily geared toward offensive and defensive maneuvers. Tactical training was given to their seniors.
</p><p>They were gearing for war, but no official announcement has been made yet. Everyone knew they were heading toward something that has already happened years ago, and there was even a possibility of fighting the war in two fronts. But everything was still a big open secret. And being in the Military meant you weren’t allowed to ask questions. You were only supposed to follow.
</p><p>More and more students were being tapped for small missions. Some of them don’t really bear fruit, but most are for information gathering.
</p><p>There have been more attacks from the Camarilla targeting well known families and witch localities, but there had also been attacks in retaliation. They were mostly kept from the public, but some were difficult to hide, and news about the increasing death count was reaching the public sphere.
</p><p>And rumors of the Military and Spree joining forces were becoming louder.
</p><p>”We’re being targeted by humans. I don’t understand why we’re being persecuted for fighting back.”
</p><p>”The Spree <i>have</i> killed a lot of civilians. And just a few months ago, Alder had declared war against them. She promised safety, and now we’re fraternizing-”
</p><p>”Maybe the Spree are right, then? They’re so quick to blame us even after three hundred years of sticking our neck out for their lives.”
</p><p>”You can’t mean that.”
</p><p>”We have one day off after a damn blue moon, and we’re barred from everywhere because we’re witches.”
</p><p>”It’s not a big deal.”
</p><p>”I enlisted to protect those people!”
</p><p>Anacostia grit her teeth as she listened to one of the cadets be shushed and placated out of her doubts. It was getting harder and harder to keep even their own people in line. The Military was trying to juggle its priorities, and it wasn’t faring well, not with trying to keep the Spree in line, and not with trying to convince the public that they were in the right side of everything that was happening.
</p><p>The Camarilla were still targeting indigenous groups abroad, and they were more successful there where the Military was spread too thin. There were less and less attacks in major cities, but groups like the Tarim were being being threatened by extinction.
</p><p>The next few missions were going to be abroad, and they will be for the preservation of witches who had their own cultures, different and very much separate from how Americans were.
</p><p>Anacostia will be in one of the missions, and she’d worked hard to be in the one where the Unit and Scylla will be. They were going to be part of the biggest group that will be deployed and their mission was to protect the Babaylan.
</p><p>It was going to be conducted just a couple of weeks before Beltane, which meant they were going to be celebrating Beltane outside of the Motherland, and that usually meant smaller celebrations, but celebrations nonetheless. She was aware that despite everything that was happening, it was still going to push through because they needed something to hold on to now more than ever.
</p><p>She was of the opinion that large gatherings should be avoided until they could be sure that they were able to screen out Camarilla and make sure that the attack at the Ball would have no repeat, but admitting a disadvantage wasn’t something Military was good at doing. So it was again pushing through with Beltane.
</p><p>Anacostia kept her composure until she arrived at her office, closing the door behind her and murmuring a privacy seed. Then she fished a phone out of her uniform to check for the message she’d felt vibrating as she held one of her lessons of the day.
</p><p><i>Willing to meet. Where and when?</i>
</p><p>She pursed her lips, typing a response on the burner phone, something the witches have always brushed off as a form of communication that was easily tampered with, especially with very simple seeds. But witches from Europe were a little more ingenious about it, and she saw the necessity especially now.
</p><p>She muttered another seed, watched the screen go dark as she slid it into her uniform once more. She had a lot of things to do before their mission abroad, and she would have to trust that Scylla was doing her end of their deal.
</p><p>It was only a matter of time before things got messier.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>”That’s rare.”
</p><p>”And counterproductive.”
</p><p>Raelle and Tally looked Abigail with raised eyebrows, and the Blaster could only shrug, rising her glass to her lips like it was wine and not water inside it. “What? It’s true.”
</p><p>”How? We <i>literally</i>,” Raelle used made air quotes, “have seeds to allow procreation between same sex couples.”
</p><p>It was Abigail’s turn to raise her eyebrows, lips lifting in a smirk. ”Already thinking about kids?”
</p><p>”That’s not-!” Raelle pursed her lips, slumping in her chair. “Whatever.”
</p><p>”Oh, but Raelle’s right, Abs. I mean I’m sure there are a few of us who still hope to end up with one person,” Tally put in, engaging in her one flaw: talking even with food still in her mouth.
</p><p>”Yes, but evolution and diversity and all that. Sticking with one doesn’t allow for the possibility of producing a more powerful witch. That’s why we have 5 year binding rituals.” Abigail spoke like she really believed in it, and it was probably because she did. She was born into the entire belief system. It was really all she knew.
</p><p>But it was different in the Cession. The existence of the witches have been adjusted to ensure survival. But Raelle grew up in an environment that still held the same illogical, but hopelessly romantic belief of the humans: if you’re lucky enough, find the person who will make you happy for the rest of your life. It’s why she didn’t have any brothers or sisters. Why their line stopped with her. Her mom found her dad, a human, and they stuck it out. Or they should have.
</p><p>”We also subscribe to the five year thing,” Tally said. “But we’re not discouraged from finding partners in life if we can.”
</p><p>”So how does the matrilocal thing work?”
</p><p>”Well, I mean, it’s really a response to the fact that we can’t really tie down men. We’re a stable support system for witches built out of necessity.”
</p><p>”Not really necessary anymore,” Raelle maintained.
</p><p>”Oh, yes, that’s true, too. But traditions are hard to break. Many families still encourage participation during Beltane if you’re not out of circulation. It’s worked to keep our numbers up so far.”
</p><p>Abigail watched Raelle scowl at the word tradition, which was where conscription fell under. And both Tally and her already knew where Raelle really stood on that matter. “But things are changing. I mean Glory’s moms are one of the first ones to benefit from the Life Seed.”
</p><p>Raelle shrugged, not really wanting to discuss the political of making babies anymore. “It’s whatever.”
</p><p>”It’s not, though, Rae.” Tally’s voice turned soft. “Our Work is very much tied to nature. You know this better than the two of us. It tells us what we need, or… or what’s needed of us. If you feel it…”
</p><p>”Then it must be law?” Raelle asked, defensive, already looking for a reason not to give in to it.
</p><p>”Then it can’t hurt to let it lead you. It’s what Beltane’s all about, after all. If Beltane somehow draws you to the same person every year, then it can’t be wrong, can it?”
</p><p>Raelle didn’t mention that Beltane led Tally to Gerrit, and that was still a conversation they weren’t really having. But Tally was nothing if not duty bound. She would participate at Beltane despite the heartache of the past year, and she would let her Work lead her, as she said.
</p><p>As for Raelle, she was glad she had been drawn to Byron the year before, and she hadn’t needed to partake fully into the whole having sex for the sake of. She understood the importance of Beltane, but she was entirely too gay for the traditional way it was being carried out. 
</p><p>But this year felt different. They were days away from the event, and the entire witch community was buzzing. It was a time of celebration, recuperation and regeneration, and they certainly needed that now. And Raelle, for the first time, was feeling herself drawn to only one person.
</p><p>Beltane was usually a time to celebrate sexuality, to explore parts of it in themselves that have yet to be explored. But her Work—and she had to admit, also her body—knew what it wanted.
</p><p>She’d only ever heard about it a few times and only from the whimsical stories from her mother. The mother she had very mixed feelings about, not the least of which was a seething anger at having been left behind. But she could still remember lying on her stomach, chin resting on her crossed arms as she listened to Willa regale her stories of feeling an inevitable tug toward her father, that humans were a lot less aware of Work, but no stranger to being under its effects. Witches reveled in its celebration, humans simply let themselves be unknowingly carried by its enticing waves.
</p><p>And Willa had told a younger, more innocent version of Raelle, that Beltane brought witches Work together thereby enhancing it, yes, but sometimes it also brought souls together, too. And that was why despite how witches had felt like marrying humans would water down their ancestry, Willa Collar still followed her heart.
</p><p>Raelle sat now, flanked by her sisters, effectively, and she rubbed at the warmth that had started to blossom on her chest. She knew it had been more of a thrum just a few months ago, that it was something she was barely aware of until just a few days ago, when the anticipation for Beltane had started to permeate the witch community.
</p><p>She’d seen Scylla exactly once since then, in a briefing session for a skirmish abroad that they were both going to be a part of just two days before Beltane. And that one time, Raelle had felt a hollowness in her chest when they parted. She was starting to suspect why she did.
</p><p>”It’s nothing bad, Raelle,” Tally reassured, smiling.
</p><p>”Yeah,” Raelle murmured back, not entirely sure what to make of it.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Short again, sorry. T-T I had internet problems the past few days, and I'm having a bad week guys. Lost a colleague to COVID yesterday, and I feel very heavy.</p><p>Promise there will be Raylla in the next chapter!</p><p>@katie - had to build on to the story before I wheedled in more Raylla. But there'll be more in the next chapter!<br/>@RayllaEndgame - The political stuff is kind of overwhelming me. Alder and Willa and everyone. I'm just gonna heal with Raylla next chapter, but I do want to see where my brain takes the powerplay. Also the soulmate thing has been hinted at. 👀 Yes, I just want Scylla to be cared for, she's alone 95% of the time, please. 😭<br/>@Tuong Do - Thank you very much!<br/>@Masstega - I definitely think the Army's gonna be a mess. I mean that move Alder pulled with the president was a clue. So the alliance is going to have imbalance for a while. Also... I liked Alder until that mind takeover thing. 😅 So I'm definitely biased against her. Scylla effectively lost Raelle twice, I thought it would put her in a really bad place, but I also thought she wasn't going to be idle? Self-destructive seemed like the most logical route for her.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0014"><h2>14. The Conduit and the Vessel</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>They meet the Babaylan. Raelle learns something about the Mycelium.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The Babaylan were more welcoming than the Tarim were. They were found in the thick forests of the mountains and they were as one with nature as witches could be. They already knew they were approaching before the Military made themselves known, and they already knew that the arrivals were not hostile. Their high priestess had declared the Army harmless for now.
</p><p>Unsurprisingly, Tally was one of the first to have members warm up to her. She was her usual enthusiastic self, her idealism and openness bleeding through her smiles and offered handshakes.
</p><p>Also unsurprisingly, Scylla was among them, but it seemed they were drawn to her, just like how Raelle was. Raelle was loathe to admit it had been too effective on her, but it was wholly useful now that they were trying to get on the good side of the Babaylan.
</p><p>It was a preventive measure. The Camarilla have already targeted and committed genocide on two other indigenous groups in Asia. The rest having heard of the attacks, have gone to hiding. The only reason the Babaylan were accessible was apparently because they wanted to be found by their group.
</p><p>And it was a small group that were sent inside, about a dozen that were left outside of the territory to form a perimeter as extra protection, despite word from the tribe that it would not add benefit to their wards already in place. Half a dozen were left just at the outskirts of the territory, Anacostia and Abigail among them. And the last five were asked to interact with the Babaylan.
</p><p>The last group was composed of their liaison Monty, who has been in contact with the Babaylan, and had already made trips prior to this mission; Tally as a knower; Raelle as a healer, because of reports they’ve received that the Camarilla were still using the Affliction; Yumeko, as the representative of the Military; and upon insistence of the Spree, Scylla, as one of their best infiltrators, despite reassurances that the mission was going to be non-aggressive.
</p><p>And it was. The Babaylan took them in, actually tried to insist that the rest of them stay inside the wards, but the Military wasn’t taking any chances, not when they were protecting a tribe that could be pivotal to the brewing war.
</p><p>The Babaylan, from their most recent findings through Monty, were a people whose special Seeds were for healing.
</p><p>The moment Raelle had stepped on to their grounds, the High Priestess, Likha, had glided toward her offering up her hands, palms up. Raelle had been hesitant, but she put her own hands on the calloused brown skin of the leader of this tribe, and she felt a warmth start at the finger that she’d touched the mycelium with spread to her entire body.
</p><p>”We are kin,” High Priestess Likha told her, eyes crinkling in her old age, irises almost entirely white, but she exuded such strength that Raelle only felt security as she held on, nodding her agreement, despite herself. She found herself staring at the back of the old woman long after her hands were let go, and it took Tally nudging her for her to settle back down.
</p><p>They were brought to one of their communal tents, where they were seated and offered food and drink. Raelle noted that there were a few who were bringing out food, presumably to the rest of them. Monty had tried to steer the conversation toward their culture, and hopefully get an idea about their healing practices, but all attempts were respectfully diverted. All tribes, it seemed, were protective of their cultures, and no matter how well-intentioned the Military was, they were still an institution known for its use of their Seeds to inflict harm.
</p><p>In the end, their first night there only resulted in socializing with the locals, getting to know some of their members, but not at all picking up on the healing Seeds that the tribe was known for.
</p><p>Raelle did note that there were a handful who had the same black veins that were characteristic of the affliction, and they remained in the periphery, not quite mingling with the newcomers, but not exactly hiding either. But they appeared fine, very unlike Khalida when she had it. It was almost like they didn’t have the Affliction at all.
</p><p>The sunset turned to night, and they were led to the tents that they would be occupying while they were there. The other tents that had been set up in the periphery of the compound were visible, and Tally was already gesturing for Raelle to follow her so they could meet up with Abigail, see if they had better luck extracting information.
</p><p>Raelle’s automatic response was to check on Scylla, to see if it was ok for her to go, and she would have felt bad about how whipped she was if Scylla wasn’t already looking at her when she turned her head. Instead, she only felt settled once their eyes met, and she vaguely indicated toward the direction Tally and she were gonna be going to look for the third member of their trio. Scylla only smiled, nodding her head, lifting a hand to scratch at her chest before turning away again at something the Babaylan beside her was saying.
</p><p>Huh, Raelle thought. Maybe she wasn’t the only one who was feeling the effects of the approaching Beltane.
</p><p>Raelle was hard-pressed to hide the blush in her cheeks as she approached Tally, and Tally was the type to coo at her being soft, so she just rolled her eyes even as she felt a grin spread her lips.
</p><p>”Tally. Don’t.”
</p><p>”What? I’m just smiling. I’m happy.” She hip checked Raelle, scrunching up her nose. “I’m happy for you, Rae.”
</p><p>”Yeah,” Raelle murmured, looking back at where Scylla was, and she felt a smile pull at her lips again as Scylla seemed to automatically be drawn to her gaze, turning her head to meet Raelle’s eyes. Scylla winked, and Raelle had to school her features to not let a wide grin overtake her entire face. “Yeah, me too.”
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>It wasn’t exactly flirting. Scylla would smile, soften her eyes, adjust her arms in such a way that she was oriented to the other person, stance seemingly more open. It wasn’t flirting. But she’d learned a lot younger than most that she was exceptionally skilled at getting other people to trust her. Her parents had always warned against using it to take advantage of people. But she’d grown up a dodger, and that meant living most of her young life with just the barest necessities. And kids always wanted something more.
</p><p>So she learned how to smile the right way, how to brighten her eyes to encourage the other person to just give her a little more than they were really willing to. It wasn’t exactly cheating. If people softened around her quicker than they did anyone else, that wasn’t really on her.
</p><p>She pursed her lips now, eyes softening at the guy who had been immediately drawn to her. He approached her. She thought that made everything fair game.
</p><p>”Miguel,” Scylla heard, and she looked up to see one of the tribe elders approaching them. She schooled her features immediately so she didn’t show her disappointment. Miguel had just been about to talk about some of their rituals, but that was fine. She still had a few days to extract information.
</p><p>She smiled up at the approaching man, eyes innocent. “Elder Kaloy.”
</p><p>Scylla was met by kind, but undeniably knowing eyes, and she responded with a sheepish smile. All right, maybe she had to dial it down. But she couldn’t help raising a hand to wave as Miguel walked away, and she pursed her lips to suppress a satisfied smile at the way he smiled back and blushed. Still came easy to her.
</p><p>She rubbed her hands on her pants, and moved to stand, but she was met with a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at one of the tribe elders, raising her eyebrows in question. “Is there something wrong?”
</p><p>She was met with kind eyes, his hand already withdrawing. He was quiet for a few moments, and Scylla was just about to try and stand again, to maybe get away because the silence had turned awkward, when he spoke again.
</p><p>”You are shrouded by darkness.”
</p><p>Scylla felt her mask drop slightly, but she tried to maintain it. She didn’t want anyone picking up on the sudden turn of the conversation.
</p><p>She had a feeling they would pick up on her. She’d already talked to enough members to know that this tribe was more in tune with mortality than most witches. In a way, they were an interesting mix of Fixers and Necros. Life and Death. And by the way some of their older members had surreptitiously looked at her when she came in, she wondered if they could <i>see</i>.
</p><p>She furrowed her eyebrows. “What… what do you mean?”
</p><p>”We know you are all here to learn from us. But…” His eyes softened apologetically. “We cannot share our ways with someone-” He hummed, as if struggling with the language. “-someone darkness follows.”
</p><p>Scylla swallowed, unsure what that meant. “I don’t understand.”
</p><p>”Death leaves a mark, child.” He raised a hand, and Scylla barely suppressed the urge to flinch back, but he only waved above her, as if waving away smoke only he could see. “And they have marked you.”
</p><p>Scylla pursed her lips, not liking that she was in a bad disadvantage in this conversation. She was used to always knowing as much as or if not more than who she was talking to. And the few times she knew less, she always made sure to extract what she could. It was the currency of her position, Information, and she was severely lacking right now.
</p><p>But she found in this mission, she could readjust her goals easily. Because Raelle was involved.
</p><p>”But it doesn’t have to be me. Raelle-“ She let the inevitable pull lead her, and she somehow easily found Raelle at the far side of the camp. It had been getting stronger, the pull, she’d come to call it the past few weeks. She imagined from what Elder Kaloy could see, it was the only part of her that was light.
</p><p>But Raelle needed whatever they could be taught from this tribe. Everyone who knew the importance of this mission to the Tribe of the Babaylan knew that Raelle was the key to the mission’s success. And it could mean the cure to the Affliction that the Camarilla was brewing to kill off the witches.
</p><p>”She’s special,” Scylla found herself murmuring, uncharacteristic vulnerability bleeding through in her voice. “She’s worthy.”
</p><p>The Elder blinked slowly, before nodding. “She is kin,” he answered cryptically. “And she is oddly drawn to you.”
</p><p>Scylla smiled back weakly. “Yeah. Oddly is an understatement.”
</p><p>His answer was a nod, non-judgmental, only accepting. “But our Work… it is complicated.”
</p><p>”Sure,” Scylla agreed, feeling like her agreement was empty, not knowing as much as Elder Kaloy. But she’d had enough of a conversation proving she was basically a dark shadow over Raelle’s existence. And she didn’t have it in her to feel defensive about it, not when they had to be there for days yet. So she stood, excusing herself, before picking out a relatively secluded spot to think
</p><p>To sulk. She was going to sulk.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Scylla had made herself a little scarce since the incident, not knowing if they could actually sense how many had died in her hands. A lot, she sardonically thought, mind heavy with the reality of what she’d done, but not entirely sure she would have done any different if she went back to that time of her life.
</p><p>She still felt the same about the civilians who were only too willing to let witches fight their own wars. She still thought they should be allowed to live free lives, away from the confines of the Military. She still thought by not doing anything, by letting the Army pick them off the moment they were old enough, humans were part of the problem.
</p><p>And she knew she was exactly the kind of person who would kill if necessary.
</p><p>”Beltane is a week-long celebration here, too!”
</p><p>Scylla was roused from her thoughts by a bubbly Tally, already settling herself down on the table by the periphery of the starting festivities. It was just a communal dinner that night, but there was music and there were drinks, so it was more than they usually had than their normal nights.
</p><p>Scylla raised her eyebrows in surprise, not entirely knowing why Tally had chosen to sit with her of all people. “They’re especially tied to nature,” Scylla found herself responding. “I would imagine they actually celebrate longer. Those fertility charms in the trees around us have probably been there for a week now.”
</p><p>”Oh, really? I didn’t even notice them,” Tally responded, looking behind them to look for one of the said charms.
</p><p>”So you’re also thinking about children already, Ramshorn.” Abigail settled across from Scylla, sliding an extra plate toward Tally, who already had one plate on both hands when she arrived.
</p><p>”Also?” Scylla’s eyebrows went up some more.
</p><p>”Raelle-“
</p><p>Scylla watched Tally wave frantically at Abigail, then a silent conversation went between them before Abigail shrugged, and started tucking into her food. Scylla actually felt the corners of her lips tugging up at how close they had become. She didn’t really know a lot about them, just the few snippets of information from Raelle, and Raelle and her didn’t really talk a lot before. It was a lot of making out and just generally trying to get Raelle to trust her. Then falling for Raelle.
</p><p>Scylla wanted to roll her eyes at herself. She was a bad undercover agent.
</p><p>She was spacing out again when she felt something touch the pinky of the hand she had placed facedown on the table. She looked down, then up at Tally who had slid one of the plates toward her.
</p><p>”You should eat.”
</p><p>”I’ve eaten,” Scylla responded, smiling, ready to slide the plate back.
</p><p>”You haven’t. Raelle stares a lot and she knows you haven’t,” Abigail answered, her no nonsense tone making everything a little more aggressive than it should have been.
</p><p>”What’re we talking about?” Raelle pulled a chair up so she could sit on Scylla’s other side, pulling at the plate Tally had slid toward Scylla so it was between her and the latter.

</p><p>”You know I was talking shit about you,” Abigail replied, deadpan.
</p><p>”’course, you were,” Raelle muttered, picking up the fork and eating a few mouthfuls, before lifting the fork a third time and offering it to Scylla, eyebrows raised expectantly.
</p><p>And Scylla, who had just tried to refuse Tally’s offer of the same plate, found herself automatically opening her mouth to be fed. She didn’t see, but Abigail rolled her eyes, and Tally pursed her lips to keep from grinning too widely, mouth full.
</p><p>”What did that old dude want?”
</p><p>”He’s an elder, Raelle,” Scylla replied, grinning. Raelle just shrugged, offered her another forkful, and Scylla took it, finished chewing before replying. “He said I have a dark soul.”
</p><p>”What?”
</p><p>”He can’t have.”
</p><p>”Well, we already knew that.”
</p><p>All heads turned to Abigail, Tally with an admonishing look, and Raelle looked like she was ready to throw down. But Scylla actually laughed, nodding a few times. “You’re not wrong.”
</p><p>Raelle rolled her eyes, because of course Scylla would appreciate how blunt Abigail was.
</p><p>”Why, Raelle, what’s Scylla for you?” Abigail taunted, smirking.
</p><p>Tally rested her elbows on the table, rested her chin on her hands. “Yeah, Raelle. What <i>is</i> Scylla to you?”
</p><p>”Stop, Tal.” Raelle shook her head, looking down at her almost empty plate, before she realized they were quiet for a bit and she looked up. Scylla was also looking at her with a shit-eating grin.
</p><p>”I wanna hear your answer, too,” Scylla said, and she laughed when Raelle rolled her eyes because that was probably the fifth time she did it in this entire conversation.
</p><p>”’k, it’s time to go,” Raelle muttered, annoyed, but clearly warmed that her unit and Scylla were getting along ok. Instead of motioning to her unit, her hand settled on Scylla’s shoulder.
</p><p>”Excuse us, ladies,” Scylla intoned, voice smooth and clear of her worries for the time being.
</p><p>Tally and Abigail watched them go, and the former waited until they were clearly out of earshot before speaking. “I kind of get it.”
</p><p>Abigail made a face. “Raelle does not seem like the type to share, Tal.”
</p><p>”No! I mean-“
</p><p>”You understand how shitbird could fall for a mass murderer?”
</p><p>Tally glared at Abigail, but it wasn’t really effective with how sweet she usually was. Then she deflated. “Yeah, actually. I mean I understand how they could work.”
</p><p>Abigail shrugged, only really invested that Raelle was currently happy and not moping around like she usually was. “It’s still a reach.”
</p><p>”Maybe,” Tally agreed, also not completely sold on someone who had killed so many people. “But I trust her with Raelle.”
</p><p>That gave Abigail pause, and she looked up to see that the couple had picked a spot by one of the closest trees to the encampment. They settled on the ground,  postures close, as if they were moving in each other’s gravity. It looked like Scylla was being cautious, because Raelle had more to lose with people seeing them together. Raelle was never one to be careful, never one to care what other people thought, so Abigail watched Raelle settle backward, leaning back against the tree. And she motioned for Scylla to lean back against her.
</p><p>Abigail looked away at that, still feeling conflicted about them. She was raised by the Military, and she was taught to hate the Spree. The fact that Scylla had broken Raelle’s heart just a few months ago was also grating on her, especially because she’d <i>felt</i> it. But Tally was right. The past few months have proven that even if they didn’t completely trust Scylla, they could trust her with Raelle.
</p><p>That had to be enough for now.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Raelle woke up with her face about an inch from Scylla’s, and she thought maybe that’s how she should wake up everyday.
</p><p>They’d been given one of the small houses for all five of the ones who were assigned inside, and Scylla and Raelle had offered to sleep on the floor along with Tally, so their superiors could share the one bed that could only fit two people. They still took shifts to sleep despite there being two more groups outside to keep watch.
</p><p>Scylla had been the one to reach out the moment they were within the walls of the small house, had arranged their sleeping bags so they were actually zipped together, had reached for Raelle’s hand beneath the covers. It was two days till Beltane, and they had both been reaching for the other more and more.
</p><p>Raelle woke up now with her legs tangled with Scylla’s, one of her hands having slid up Scylla’s shirt so it was pressed against Scylla’s back. And one of their hands loosely interlocked between them. She was only awake for a few minutes, when Scylla shifted forward enough to nuzzle her nose.
</p><p>”Go back to sleep.”
</p><p>Raelle smiled, just because. Her hand beneath Scylla’s shirt started tracing patterns on skin that had Scylla sighing and shifting closer. When her fingers dipped teasingly beneath the waistband of Scylla’s pants, the Necro quietly gasped.
</p><p>”Do not start anything you can’t finish, Collar,” Scylla warned, voice low, lips already brushing against Raelle’s.
</p><p>The sheets rustled as Raelle pulled Scylla closer, leg coming up in between Scylla’s legs to press somewhere it really shouldn’t, because-
</p><p>”Listen to your girlfriend, Collar.”
</p><p>”Jesus,” Raelle muttered, hearing the voice of her superior, not at all muddled by sleep. She grinned at a sniggering Scylla, eyes bright despite the early hour, and not having the wherewithal to actually draw away from Raelle.
</p><p>”Maybe…” Scylla whispered, aware now that they could be heard, probably because of a surveillance Seed that Sergeant Yumeko was using as the last of them to take a look-out shift. “We should freshen up by the river?”
</p><p>Raelle was already scrambling up, encouraged by a giggling Scylla, who took the responsibility of haphazardly fixing their beddings, and setting them aside so they weren’t in anybody’s way.
</p><p>Raelle was already pulling at Scylla to kiss her the moment they escaped the confines of the small house, the brisk morning mountain air, cooling them considerably, when they heard a clearing throat.
</p><p>They both turned to see Elder Kaloy standing by, probably about to visit for whatever reason.
</p><p>Raelle visibly deflated. “Oh, uh. Elder. Good morning.”
</p><p>”Good morning, private Collar, miss Ramshorn.”
</p><p>Scylla nodded in response, feeling the need to pull away from Raelle in front of the member of the tribe who had told her that it was odd for Raelle to be drawn to her. She was usually more confident than this. But lately she’d been more trouble than even she was used to.
</p><p>But Raelle’s hand didn’t slacken, and she actually moved slightly in front of Scylla, wary of the man, elder or not, who had apparently told Scylla off the day before. In response, Scylla tightened her hold on Raelle’s hand. Might as well go all in, Scylla thought.
</p><p>”The high priestess would like to talk to you, private Collar. If you are available.”
</p><p>Raelle was sure they were a lot more lenient here, that if Raelle really was indisposed, the high Priestess would understand, but they were here on a mission to extract Seeds that might be essential to counteract the Affliction. So Raelle nodded. “Yeah. Sure.”
</p><p>Elder Kaloy nodded, smiling. “Then, I will walk you.”
</p><p>”I mean you don’t- yeah, ok.” Raelle turned toward Scylla.
</p><p>”It’s ok. I’ll see you after,” Scylla replied to the silent question.
</p><p>”Ok.”
</p><p>”Ok.”
</p><p>Raelle smiled, softening because Scylla’s hair was a little messy from sleep, and the morning sun made her eyes lighter than they usually were. And she’d told herself she wasn’t going to let anything come between them because there was a war and they didn’t know when they were going to see each other again after this mission.
</p><p>So she leaned forward despite the audience, catching Scylla by surprise. But apparently not unexpected, because she felt Scylla smile against her lips. When Raelle pulled away, Scylla followed to press one last kiss before stepping back.
</p><p>”Two minutes,” Raelle promised.
</p><p>Scylla laughed. “Do not rush the High Priestess, Raelle.”
</p><p>Raelle eventually managed to pull away, before turning toward Elder Kaloy, who had walked away to give them some semblance of privacy while he waited.
</p><p>She was led toward the river upstream, and through the forest, and to a clearing where the High Priestess was kneeling at an altar. They were told there was a place of worship higher up the mountain. Raelle was surprised the elders could climb that nimbly up, but they were natives.
</p><p>High Priestess Likha seemed to sense them, because she stood, turning toward the two of them, and motioned for them to approach. Elder Kaloy didn’t move, so she figured that was just for her. So she walked tentatively forward, not knowing is she was even allowed to walk around these grounds.
</p><p>”Walk with me, private Collar.”
</p><p>So Raelle followed, downstream again, but at a much slower pace. The High Priestess seemed to stop every once in a while to examine the plant life, and Raelle just stood awkwardly to the side, unsure what was expected of her. In the end, it was the High Priestess who broke the silence again.
</p><p>”You have questions.” Her voice was with quiet intent, kind, but also aware that the Army was there not without an ulterior motive. They weren’t there simply to learn. They would use the Seeds they extracted in battle if they could.
</p><p>”You’ll answer them?” Raelle carefully asked.
</p><p>”You already have answers.”
</p><p>Raelle frowned. “I don’t understand.”
</p><p>The High Priestess was quiet for a while again, walking toward the river and dipping her hand in, closing her eyes. Raelle watched her do this a couple of time within a few feet, before moving away from the river again.
</p><p>She motioned toward the encampment. “You are already able to heal. But you have questions.”
</p><p>Raelle raised her eyebrows. “Oh. The mycelium”
</p><p>The High Priestess smiled. “Yes.”
</p><p>”I don’t understand why me.”
</p><p>”It chooses.”
</p><p>Silence again, and Raelle made a face behind the High Priestess whose back was turned. That was the vaguest possible answer that did not at all help her. “Yeah. But how does it?”
</p><p>”It calls.”
</p><p>Raelle felt her eye twitch. Clearly this was a waste of time. “Right.”
</p><p>They were quiet again, and they just continued to walk back. Raelle could almost see the encampment again through the trees when the High Priestess spoke again.
</p><p>”We also depend on the Mycelium.”
</p><p>That perked her up again. “You do?”
</p><p>”Life becomes death becomes life.” 
</p><p>”That’s what they teach Necros.”
</p><p>”Yes,” the High Priestess confirmed. “It is quite odd that the Military has made a very distinct line between what you call Fixers, and your Necros. The line is invisible, Private Collar. Nothing is truly dead. In the same way that nothing can truly extend life. There is a price for healing.”
</p><p>Raelle frowned, remembering the first time she did it to a dying Khalida. She’d cupped Khalida’s cheeks fully ready to take on the burden of the Affliction without care for her own health, but in the end she didn’t pick up on a whiff of that disease. She was completely fine after. ”Not for me. Not since touching the Mycelium.”
</p><p>”No, Private Collar. There is <i>always</i> a price for healing.”
</p><p>”But-“
</p><p>”The Mycelium is a conduit. It does not take. It shares the burden.”
</p><p>Raelle frowned. “With me?”
</p><p>The High Priestess shook her head. “No, never with the vessel. The Mycelium considers it counterproductive to include us in the sacrifices.” Seeing the still confused look on Raelle’s face, the High Priestess elaborated. “Do you know how many of my people have Afflictions right now?”
</p><p>”I counted four.”
</p><p>”Correct. There are four of them inside the encampment.” The High Priestess seemed to breathe in deep, blowing air carefully into the wind before continuing. “Only one was attacked with the affliction, Private Collar.”
</p><p>”One? I thought you said-“ Then she paused, eyes widening. “It spread the burden. But then where…”
</p><p>The High Priestess nodded, glad that Raelle was finally catching up. “When they told me your story, of healing the little girl, of healing your own people after a mission, I have also wondered.
</p><p>”Private Collar, who shared the burden of the Afflictions you cured?”
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm in quarantine again, guys. 🙃</p><p>Beltane next chapter! So you know what that means... 😏</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Rhythm and Pulse</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Beltane.</p><p>*NOTE: rating raised to EXPLICIT</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>THIS IS YOUR ONLY WARNING. Smut follows. I've raised the rating of the fic to account for it.</p><p>If you're here for the plot, read ONLY the first part until the second page break (horizontal line), and the last part. It's the only plot relevant ones. The rest is SIN.</p><p>I REPEAT. First and last parts only for plot. The middle bit is smut.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Raelle was quiet all the way back, a heavy weight of foreboding settling in her bones. The Military knew very little about the Mycelium, but they let her use her connection to it anyway. She didn’t know how much they knew, and she didn’t know if this was something she should even share with them. She didn’t even know if she could share the information with her Unit.
</p><p>They arrived to a commotion. Some of the tribe members were gearing up, and the Military were being divided to those who were also preparing to move.
</p><p>Raelle was already jogging toward where Tally, giving instruction to a few tribe members.
</p><p>”What’s happening?
</p><p>”I Saw something,” Tally explained. “And relayed it to Sergeant Monty, and they’ve sent scouts out. There’s an ongoing attack on a nearby camp, smaller than this. We’re sending in extra manpower.”
</p><p>”Scylla?”
</p><p>Tally nodded at the last person she was assisting, one of the soldiers assigned in the  periphery that had gone in to receive a mental map from Tally. She was getting quite good at those. “She’s one of the first ones we’re deploying. Aside from being more in tune with the forest…” Tally frowned. “Frontlines, Raelle. Disposable ones first.”
</p><p>”I’m going, too.”
</p><p>”You will stay here, Private Collar.”
</p><p>Raelle turned to see Sergeant Yumeko approach, hands behind her back, staring her down. She was a slight woman, one of the shortest superiors they had, due to her East-Asian descent, but also one of the most formidable. She had been in the frontlines during the past war, and she was one of the soldiers who people had legendary stories told of them. She carried herself with the weight of having faced her opponents head on.
</p><p>”Respectfully, Sergeant, we can’t just standby-“
</p><p>”We can. We’re backup, Private. From what Private Craven has Seen, and we’ve Scried, it’s only a small group, likely a scouting party that turned violent. We’re only sending in additional people to make sure the tribe members will be able to fight them off.”
</p><p>And that was that. Raelle could only watch as they were sent out, and she found herself pacing the entire time they waited.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>The combatants arrived in a flurry of urgency. The rest of the members gave them space as they came in carrying wounded, and from what Raelle could see, they had the same characteristic crawling veins over skin that signified the Affliction.
</p><p>Three bodies were brought to their Head Healer, Bughaw, and she motioned to the other members to gather. Raelle frowned. Most Fixers she knew called for people not to crowd their sick.
</p><p>She watched as the Babaylan took some sort of formation. They were a people who Necros and Fixers, but it was unusual to use so many people to heal just three people. And from the looks of it, they were actually motioning other members to join what seems be a network of people surrounding the injured.
</p><p>Tally nudged at Raelle, and pointed to where Scylla was trailing behind the mass of people, a little sweaty, but looking to be ok. Raelle made her way to her despite that, wanting to see for herself.
</p><p>”Scylla.”
</p><p>”I’m ok,” Scylla reassured, smiling, but her hands were shaking a little bit when Raelle took them. So Raelle clasped them in between hers, squeezing. She then blew out a nearly silent Seed, a simple diagnostic, and found that Scylla was just tired, if with a few bruises.
</p><p>Scylla tilted her head, smile turning affectionate. “You’re getting good at that.”
</p><p>”Have a girlfriend who runs blindly into danger. I have to,” Raelle retorted, pressing forward to place a quick kiss to Scylla forehead, more for herself than for Scylla.
</p><p>”And you’re pretty careful, huh.”
</p><p>Raelle grinned. “Well-“
</p><p>Then a sudden hush fell over the encampment, and both of their eyes were drawn to the formation in the communal area of the tribe.
</p><p>Each one of them were holding on to two other members, and they were arranged in a ray with the three wounded in the center. Healer Bughaw seemed to wait until everyone was connected, with two other Healers hovering over the two other wounded, so that they were all handling someone.
</p><p>The three Healers simultaneously placed a hand over the forehead of their wounded, and the mass of bodies started to hum.
</p><p>Raelle would not be able to explain how it felt for that strong a power be used for healing, but it had felt like a strong breeze blew past her, settling her bones, and filling her with a vitality that she had never bore witness to before. She looked toward Abigail, who was a few feet away, checking over their own people, and Raelle knew Abigail had felt it, too. She wondered if any other of the witches there did.
</p><p>It lasted a few minutes, the entire atmosphere of the area managing to feel both solemn and powerful at the same time. And then slowly, the members started severing the connection, and the power that Raelle had felt started to ebb like the tide.
</p><p>Her eyebrows furrowed, wondering what had changed, but then she saw one of the first ones to breakaway turn, smiling at the member nearest them, and he had a small web of black veins running in the outside of his forearm.
</p><p>”Shared burden,” Raelle murmured, feeling almost blessed at having witnessed the healing of the Afflicted. And then she felt the unease of her own healing, of having not taken on the burden the past few months that she had been healing, and not knowing <i>where</i> those afflictions have been transferring.
</p><p>She wondered if the Mother Mycelium of the Babaylan was anything like the Mycelium the Military had, and if so, would healing be the same. And from how there had been three healers each for the wounded that day, Raelle wondered if that meant that more witches could be connected to the Mycelium. Vessels, Raelle recalled. Vessels to the Mycelium which was acting as a conduit.
</p><p>And what of the fatal injury she sustained during the mission in China? How did she heal?
</p><p>She felt Scylla squeeze her hand, and she looked to her side, catching curious eyes.
</p><p>Scylla’s eyes flickered between both of hers. “You ok?”
</p><p>”Yeah, yeah,” Raelle nodded, looking back toward the now spreading out mass of people, and through them she met the eyes of the High Priestess, who smiled at her, giving her a tiny nod. “Yeah, just… that was something, huh?” She turned back to Scylla, trying to see if Scylla noticed anything, too.
</p><p>Scylla nodded, shrugging. “Mass healings are a thing in tribes. I’ve seen them while we were running. They rely heavily in the collective.”
</p><p>”You’re seen this before?” Raelle asked, surprised.
</p><p>”Once. When we ran far enough north, looking for shelter as we always did. The borders aren’t as strict as they are in the south, so.” Scylla narrowed her eyes in thought. “I was maybe nine. But they always fascinated me. Now they kind of terrify me a little.”
</p><p>”Terrify?”
</p><p>”It’s still linking. I have too many secrets to be part of something that big,” Scylla joked, but a shadow seemed to come over her eyes. “Dark soul, and all.”
</p><p>”I don’t know.” Raelle shrugged, pretending to squint at something across the camp. And when she spoke again, her Raelle’s southern accent was intentionally thicker. “Brightest part of my day.”
</p><p>When Raelle looked back at Scylla, Scylla was already grinning at her, as intended, and Raelle smiled lopsidedly in return.
</p><p>”You turn on that Southern charm when you speak to all your girls, Private Collar?”
</p><p>”Just the one. Best one, too.”
</p><p>Scylla laughed, unable to help it. “You weren’t this sweet the first time around.”
</p><p>”It’s Beltane.”
</p><p>Scylla laughed again, but tried to stifle it. Raelle didn’t care that they were getting looks. “Trying to get in my pants, then?”
</p><p>”Always.” Raelle punctuated her words with a kiss to the knuckles of Scylla’s hand that she had in her. “Is it working?”
</p><p>”We’ll see.”
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Beltane always filled the air with charged energy, and this year, despite everything that was happening, was no different.
</p><p>The most dressed down they could be was to remove their outer jackets, which was what most of Army members did. The Babaylan had erected stronger wards, wider perimeters that were only going to last 24 hours to allow all the witches time to partake in Beltane. The soldiers had partaken in the ritual that would put them up, some of them reluctantly, but the communal spell did not, in fact, include linking, but only drew enough power from each of them to create the temporary stronger barriers around the camp.
</p><p>The festivities have been in full swing since noon, and Abigail, as she always was, was being courted by several men and women in the Army and from the tribe. Hierarchies usually broke down during Beltane to honor whoever the reel deems fit to be your partner, and whatever bonds are weaved during Beltane were considered spiritual but ultimately temporary for most.
</p><p>Not that Raelle had any doubts about the permanence of her own. She was holding on to Scylla no matter what the fuck the reel said.
</p><p>But she wasn’t worried. For the sake of the social aspect of Beltane, they respected the entire process of mingling and mixing with the locals. There weren’t any shortage for either of them. But they both realized the draw was too strong because they seemed to always end up in the same table.
</p><p>”You’re doing this on purpose, Collar,” Scylla accused, but she let herself lean into Raelle’s side, smiling slyly.
</p><p>Raelle pressed her lips to Scylla’s ear. ”And if I was?” Raelle murmured back.
</p><p>”You should hold on to me,” Scylla responded, smirking, but already moving backward.
</p><p>The music for the reel started then, and all the witches who wished to partake stood, shouts for participation ringing across the large field. Scylla turned, intending to join, but she felt hands land on her waist, then squeeze, lips pressing against her ear again, causing her to gasp.
</p><p>”You planning to look for someone else?”
</p><p>”Never.”
</p><p>Then Scylla was being pulled toward the periphery of the festivities, where several tents were set up for those who preferred them. Most didn’t care at the time of Beltane. There were mostly blankets on the grass, without cover. It was a time to celebrate sexuality, and modesty had never been an issue.
</p><p>Most of the ones who took to tents were couples who spend their Beltane with each other, and only with each other. Neither of them had any plans to share the other.
</p><p>”Goddess, there is no hot way to crawl into a tent,” Raelle muttered, ducking inside, and plopping down on the ground.
</p><p>Scylla was giggling as she settled on top of Raelle, straddling her. “No need. I’m already so turned on-“ And she punctuated her words by crushing her lips to Raelle’s, all teeth and tongue and urgency.
</p><p>Their lips only parted when Raelle hurriedly slid Scylla’s shirt up and off, her bra following soon after. It was reminiscent of the first time they ever had sex, but this time, they were on a more even ground regarding intentions.
</p><p>Raelle’s lips started venturing down to Scylla’s neck, and Scylla didn’t really have any warning before Raelle was rolling, pressing the Necro to her back, leg slipping between her to grind down. Scylla moaned, and it was cut off by Raelle returning to her lips, her hands shifting from having taken purchase on her hips, to gliding over her exposed skin. The side of her breasts, her shoulders, and Raelle guided Scylla’s arms up so she could run her hands over her arms, her elbows, her wrists, and finally her hands, fingers interlocking.
</p><p>Then Raelle pulled away breathlessly from Scylla’s lips, seeming to have taken everything in her to do it, and Scylla barely recognized a Seed spilling forth from her lips. Scylla only noticed when Raelle let go of her hands, and Scylla’s own… couldn’t follow.
</p><p>”New trick?” Scylla asked, fighting to maintain coherence when her hands being invisibly tied above her head had sent a pool of heat straight to her center that had her grinding up against Raelle’s leg.
</p><p>”You like it?” Raelle asked cheekily, smirking down at her, hovering on an elbow, her other hand shifting from rough touches to lightly tracing shapes on pale skin. Her fingers slid down, down until she reached the waistband of Scylla’s pants, and she made quick work of them. Her hand then slid past panties and into wet, heat that had both of them gasping. “You do like it,” she murmured against parted lips.
</p><p>”Please,” Scylla murmured, hips jerking up, and her eyes rolled back when she felt Raelle press expertly against her clit. “Shit.”
</p><p>”Language.”
</p><p>”Fuck.”
</p><p>Raelle laughed, and she looked up to meet Scylla’s eyes, half-lidded, pupils blown wide, and she shifted so they could kiss again, slow this time, almost excruciatingly so. Scylla moaned against the kiss as Raelle slid one, then two fingers into her, palm grinding against her clit. Raelle pulled back a bit, to watch Scylla’s eyes as she started a slow, but intense rhythm. Then Raelle’s fingers sped up, Scylla matched her thrusts with her hips, and then she was stiffening, hands fisting above her, back bowing up and into Raelle in a hard and fast orgasm. Scylla released a breath after, meeting eyes that were far too dark for the emotion beheld them.
</p><p>Raelle looked at her and saw unruly hair, red cheeks, sweaty skin, and heaving breasts and thought, “You’re so beautiful.”
</p><p>Scylla breathlessly laughed at her, earning an uptick of Raelle’s lips. “I’m a mess.” Then she wiggled her arms. “You letting me go now?”
</p><p>Raelle blinked, seeming to come to herself, before shaking her head. “Not yet.”
</p><p>”What- Oh.“
</p><p>Raelle’s head once again dipped to start kissing down Scylla neck, and Scylla tilted her head to allow her more space. She hasn’t quite recovered from her previous orgasm, yet, and she shuddered when Raelle’s fingers slid against the sides of her legs, as she slid her pants and underwear off.
</p><p>”You, too,” Scylla bargained, not wanting to be the only one undressed and tied down. And her cheeky little shit of a girlfriend complied by just taking off her pants, leaving her in a shirt and panties.
</p><p>Raelle slid up again to hover over Scylla, lips almost touching, but she left a sliver of space between them that had Scylla gasping up to reach her. Just like their first time.
</p><p>”Kiss me,” Scylla pleaded, placated when Raelle slid a hand over one of her arms, raising goosebumps along the way, to clasp at her hands. Raelle seemed to always be reaching for them, even when they were idle, and it wasn’t any different when they were intimate.
</p><p>”Always,” Raelle murmured against already kiss-swollen lips, and their tongues met, movements languid, their bodies pressing. Raelle’s other hand slid up from the flare of Scylla’s hip, tracing quivering muscles toned by training, before settling on a supple breast, squeezing.
</p><p>Scylla gasped against Raelle’s lips, moaning when Raelle only used it as an excuse to latch on to her lower lip, sucking. Scylla felt overstimulated, but she only urged Raelle on, arching her back to let Raelle know to keep touching her.
</p><p>And Raelle did, lips starting to map her skin from her lips down, and Scylla closed her eyes, overwhelmed, feeling both the heat and unfamiliar feeling of something inside her reaching for every point of contact—lips on her jaw, her neck, her collarbone. When Scylla opened her eyes again, she was met by Raelle’s blue turned almost dark grey by the light and her blown out pupils, and Raelle made it a point to keep contact while her lips slowly wrapped around a nipple. Scylla could only arch into her mouth, hands still immobilized above her, and somehow her helplessness only made her wetter.
</p><p>”Raelle,” she moaned, wanting to tell Raelle to please keep moving downward, but Raelle’s tongue flicked against her nipple, and her eyes slid back closed.
</p><p>Scylla was starting to notice that the more she was arching her back, the more Raelle was pulling away, and she groaned, legs coming up to wrap around Raelle’s waist and squeezing none to gently.
</p><p>Raelle laughed, nipple popping out of her mouth. “Take it easy.”
</p><p>”If you would just start eating me out.”
</p><p>Raelle smirked, tapping at her thighs to let her go, and she sat up slowly when they did, leaving kisses on Scylla’s abdomen. She settled a hand on Scylla’s hip, squeezing. “Don’t move ok?”
</p><p>”I am literally tied down- Ah!“
</p><p>Two fingers slid home, almost without resistance from how wet Scylla already was. Raelle’s lips parted at seeing Scylla’s back arch, skin glistening with sweat, hips bucking against her hand. When their eyes met again, they were both breathing heavily, bodies locked in a rhythm already familiar to them. Raelle’s hips pressed against the back of her hand in time with her thrusts, and Scylla moaned, when Raelle slid another finger inside her, stretching her further.
</p><p>”Raelle.”
</p><p>”That’s it, baby.”
</p><p>Scylla’s eyes slid closed again, letting all the sensations consume her. Raelle’s fingers, her hands, the light breeze inside the tent from each of their Work charging the air around them, and the ever present rhythmic pulse of Work all around them from Beltane.
</p><p>”Scylla,” Raelle called, voice hoarse, almost just as affected by everything as Scylla. “Look at me.”
</p><p>Raelle caught hooded eyes, Scylla’s breasts heaving with her breaths, and Raelle licked her lips, overcome. “Keep looking at me, ok?”
</p><p>Scylla nodded, unable to form any coherent sentences, and she almost did the exact opposite when she watched Raelle slide downward to run her tongue between her folds. Scylla cried out, hips bucking, but she held Raelle’s gaze, intent on hers, tongue and fingers on a mission.
</p><p>Raelle’s fingers moved faster inside her, fingers curling, and Scylla’s own curled into her palm, unable to do anything but move her hips against Raelle’s rhythm. When Raelle’s lips wrapped around her clit, Scylla broke eye contact, mouth dropping open, back bowing as far as it could go as she came, Raelle’s name in her lips, and feeling everything else of Raelle in her, down to her toes.
</p><p>Raelle’s fingers slowed until Scylla collapsed back down, spent, and when she withdrew her hand, almost absently, brought those fingers up to her lips to suck on them.
</p><p>”Oh, goddess,” Scylla groaned, watching her girlfriend suck at her fingers, and Raelle grinned, cheekily ducking down to lick up at her entrance, then to her clit.
</p><p>”Rae-“ Scylla gasped, overly sensitive after that orgasm, and Raelle pulled back, pressing an apologetic kiss to her inner thigh.
</p><p>”Sorry. I love how you taste.”
</p><p>And Scylla, she probably couldn’t move her legs if she tried, but she felt something stirring in her belly again.

</p><p>”Raelle,” Scylla murmured. “I want to see you come, too.”
</p><p>Raelle raised an eyebrow. “How? You’re tied down.”
</p><p>Scylla bit her lip, not at all looking like she was at a loss. It was more like she was considering something. Raelle watched her release a Seed through her teeth, and she watched her hands come up off their binding to the ground, but they were still stuck together. She really liked being tied down, Raelle noted.
</p><p>”Come up here,” Scylla said.
</p><p>”Come up where?” Scylla motioned toward her chest, and Raelle’s eyes widened, eye growing darker. “Are- are you sure?”
</p><p>Scylla mutely nodded, lower lip caught in her teeth again. “If you are.”
</p><p>It took only a moment for Raelle to decide, and then she was wiggling forward, discarding her panties, if a little awkwardly, but neither of them really cared. Scylla was hungry for Raelle, and Raelle was so turned on from watching Scylla cum, she didn’t mind looking a little weird.
</p><p>Raelle settled with her thighs bracketing Scylla’s head, and just looking down at her girlfriend from this position was making her breathe harder. She felt Scylla’s hands settled on the base of her back, and she let them guide her, sinking down.
</p><p>Her body curled at the first contact of Scylla’s tongue, licking from her entrance to her clit, and she slid her fingers through dark hair, already a little damp from sweat. It took every last brain cell she still had working to hum a Seed.
</p><p>The invisible binds of Scylla’s hands finally gave at the wrists, and Raelle felt more than saw Scylla grin smugly. Then she felt hands settle on her ass, pressing her forward, tongue lapping at the wetness from Raelle’s center, always ending on her clit, barely touching. But Raelle moved Scylla where she wanted her, and Scylla obliged, lips wrapping around Raelle’s clit.
</p><p>She ground down as Scylla sucked, and really, after seeing Scylla cum, she was also almost there before she’d watched Scylla’s eyes darken as she suggested this. Her thighs shook as one of her hands settled blindly behind her, landing on Scylla’s leg, to keep herself upright. Raelle moaned, hand fisting in Scylla’s hair, hips grinding.
</p><p>She felt Scylla’s hands settle on her hips instead, trying to keep her steady. But she was so close.
</p><p>”Scylla,” she gasped. “Goddess, I- Ah!”
</p><p>She felt Scylla’s tongue flick repeatedly against her clit, lips still sealed around it, sucking greedily, and Raelle’s back bowed, eyes rolling up, a light breeze coming from nowhere blowing over them both, as her orgasm sped through her, making her toes curl, and her breath stutter to a stop.
</p><p>She rode her high until she was twitching against Scylla, who hadn’t let up to prolong her pressure. 
</p><p>”Babe-“ she breathlessly called out, letting Scylla know she was feeling overstimulated, and Scylla dropped her head down again hands going slack, letting Raelle shuffle sluggishly around so they were side by side again. She watched Raelle fumble around somewhere and a thin blanket spread over them, before she settled down.
</p><p>Scylla smiled teasingly at her. “You brought a blanket?”
</p><p>”Yeah, ok? I don’t give a shit about nudity, but I don’t want anyone seeing you naked,” Raelle muttered, pulling at Scylla to lay her head on Raelle’s shoulder.
</p><p>”I mean as long as they don’t touch.“
</p><p>Raelle playfully slapped her ass, eyes starting to droop. She could vaguely discern that the music for the reel had ended, and she was fairly certain it had already been a while since those who chose to participate had chosen their partners. But the pulse of Beltane remained ever present, and it made both of them reach for the other, so their skin were flush against the other, tired, but a primal pull still thrumming underneath their skin.
</p><p>Scylla’s mouth dropped open at the slap, and for a second she looked like she was going to complain, but then her eyes turned sly, and she wiggled against her girlfriend, eyes becoming hooded for another reason altogether. “I kinda liked that.”
</p><p>Raelle laughed, and Scylla grinned up at her, tongue peaking from between her teeth. “We’ll unpack that later.”
</p><p>”Tired you out?”
</p><p>”No,” but her eyes were already closed.
</p><p>Scylla pursed her lips, before giving in, tucking her head in the space between Raelle’s shoulder and neck, arm coming around Raelle’s middle, and she frowned.
</p><p>”Why do you still have a shirt on?”
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>”You look significantly happier than you did last year,” Abigail commented upon meeting freshly showered Raelle and Scylla, the latter with a plate of food piled high with food which meant they were sharing again.
</p><p>Scylla actually stiffened at the comment, knowing that was a time when she’d been the most shady in their relationship. She’d had to keep Porter’s death from Raelle, who even then was as skilled at linking as the seniors in college. They’d talked about the atrocities she’d done exactly once and once only, and they haven’t revisited the conversation.
</p><p>But Raelle simply pulled her beside herself on the bench, shrugging at Abigail. “Barely had any sleep,” she replied, smiling innocently. “My girlfriend kept me up.”
</p><p>Abigail made a face, immediately regretting her decision to bring it up. “Stop.”
</p><p>”That <i>tongue</i>-“ Raelle closed her eyes to emphasize, and Scylla was blushing beside her, but she was also giggling.
</p><p>Tally gasped as she sat down beside Abigail, and across from the pair. “Girl talk?”
</p><p>”NO,” Abigail corrected, glaring at Raelle. “Let’s talk about what you actually learned from the priestess.”
</p><p>”Is that a codename for me?” Scylla quipped.
</p><p>Abigail’s face became more incredulous as Raelle seemed to soften, gravitating toward Scylla. “Maybe,” she murmured, leaning in for a kiss.
</p><p>Abigail blew out a soft, harmless seed that had both of them sliding a foot away from each other that had Scylla laughing. And it was hard, really hard, not to appreciate Scylla’s presence, when instead of becoming annoyed with her, all Raelle did was grin, finding the entire exchange ridiculous.
</p><p>”What the hell, Bellweather? Rude.” They both scooted toward each other again so they were side by side.
</p><p>”We’re eating,” Abigail emphasized, as if they needed reminding. And really, Abigail set herself up for that.
</p><p>”I mean I already ate,” Raelle replied cheekily, and sniggered when Abigail let her head fall to her hand, but her lips twitched up into what would have been a smile if she didn’t try her hardest to prevent Raelle from seeing it.
</p><p>”But seriously. What did she say?” Abigail diverted.
</p><p>Raelle sobered, and she appreciated Scylla absently swinging an arm behind her so it was wrapped loosely around her hip. “You ok with discussing this with Scylla here?,” Raelle asked, stalling.
</p><p>Abigail shrugged. “She might know more than us, to be honest.”
</p><p>Scylla’s eyebrow twitched at the jibe at her being a double, maybe even triple agent, but other than that, she didn’t show that the statement bothered her. “I can leave?”
</p><p>”No.”
</p><p>”Please.”
</p><p>And Scylla only smiled, pressing a kiss to the crown of Raelle’s head, before smoothly standing up. “Look for me after.”
</p><p>Raelle glared at Abigail, who looked unrepentant. “Well?”
</p><p>Raelle shook her head. “They have a Mycelium. Like we do.”
</p><p>Tally’s mouth formed an ‘oh’, looking up to look for the healers, as if trying to glean what similarities they had with Raelle, who had admitted to them the priestess had considered her kin the moment she stepped foot into the village. “Did she explain how it works?”
</p><p>Raelle rolled her eyes. “In the least helpful way possible, yeah. Called it a conduit. Called me a vessel. Something, something shared burden.”
</p><p>”Were you actually listening?” Abigail demanded.
</p><p>”Yes, I actually fucking was,” Raelle snapped back, but she pursed her lips, not wanting to ruin her mood with how frustrating this mission was becoming. It may have been a good way to spend time with Scylla far from the Military, but it was just as frustrating with regard to the information they were gathering about the Mycelium. “I mean we saw the collective healing thing they did. The Affliction was…”
</p><p>”Shared,” Tally completed. “Which means you must have been unintentionally sharing injuries to other people. And we don’t know who.”
</p><p>Raelle shrugged, uncomfortable with the idea of inflicting harm upon anyone, even unknowingly. “More questions than answers.”
</p><p>They were quiet for a while, all three of them deep in thought, then Raelle looked up.
</p><p>”I don’t like that look,” Abigail interrupted. “You want to go see it again.”
</p><p>Raelle looked surprised. “How’d you know that?”
</p><p>”Well, I thought of the most reckless plan that could lead to answers,” Abigail said, sounding tired. She shook her head. “And honestly, with how much they’re keeping from us, it’s the only way we’re gonna learn more maybe.”
</p><p>”You agree,” Raelle observed, astonished. “You think we should infiltrate the Necro HQ to find answers, too.”
</p><p>Tally looked between the two of them, biting her lip. “That’s not gonna be easy. They let us into the basement to train, but everywhere else is off limits.”
</p><p>”But Scylla can change appearances, right?”
</p><p>Both Tally’s and Raelle’s mouths dropped open. Raelle almost stuttered. “You wanna bring Scylla into this?”
</p><p>”Can you change your face, too, Raelle? It’s the only way to get in. And she knows the layout. She was Necro,” Abigail reasoned.
</p><p>”It’s too dangerous,” Raelle rebuked, not liking the plan. “We’ll find another way.”
</p><p>Abigail shrugged. “Fine. But if we don’t-“
</p><p>”No,” Raelle insisted, looking behind Abigail to see Scylla interacting with some of the children from the tribe, her easy charm working on the children as well. Raelle watched her smile and felt her heart clench at the idea of risking bringing Scylla back to base, where Alder could easily find her, send her away. Or worse. “We’ll find another way.”
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>it's been a while since I wrote smut, please be kind. Tell me if I'm too shitty at it and shouldn't do it anymore 😅 so I don't embarrass us all. It's plot plot plot from this point on. Unless you want more. 👀</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Brewing Unrest</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Back home, tensions are increasing during the mission to Southeast Asia.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Willa is there when the Spree operatives arrive, always with more than they were sent for, always with information that the Military didn’t know they’d unknowingly imparted to a group that had survived out of knowing how to infiltrate and extract data.
</p><p>But she had no doubt her most valuable spy, Scylla Ramshorn, was purposefully holding out on information due partly to how protective she had become of Willa’s daughter, but also because she was starting to waver. And that had always been a possibility, as with any operative. Willa had hoped that she’d last a little longer as a blind follower, but Willa was also appreciative of her Scylla’s own cunning. If it weren’t for her daughter, Willa sighed inwardly, and not without a bit of affection.
</p><p>Because of Scylla’s potential first made known from her first joining the Military as a cadet, the Spree had made sure to put her in missions where they could take advantage of her skills. They knew why she was there, why she’d gravitated toward a people so against the Military that some of their factions had resorted to violence. The Military had taken more from her than most, and she was was willing to take as much from them as was stolen from her.
</p><p>So they’d sent her on their largest scale attack with only a balloon and her conviction for revenge and it had gone splendidly. It was the spark that had started the blaze of distrust that would eventually completely divide the witches and the civilians.
</p><p>The fact that there were a lot of Camarilla families in that attack had been unknown to most. It had really been their carelessness that they had put so many of their people in one place when the Camarilla were already such a sparse group. They had been silent back then. Or at least they were in the Military eyes.
</p><p>Willa Collar was more aware of their activities, their having targeted smaller families in small missions almost as practice runs for before they started attacking the families in the top ranks of the Military, like the Bellweathers and the Swythes. Willa clenched her fists as she looked at the small gathering of witches in front of her for the debriefing as she recalled who exactly the Camarilla had first targeted.
</p><p>The dodgers first, witches the Military wouldn’t even care were being attacked. There had already been reports of witches going missing, found with their throats slit weeks after in ditches, in rivers, haphazardly buried in hilltops, bodies starting to rot. Even then, Willa had already figured they had a professional amongst them. Surgically removed larynxes. She didn’t know how they were going to use them, yet, but it was clear what their goals were.
</p><p>The civilians have always been fearful of their power. And so their power they would try to take.
</p><p>Finding out exactly how the Camarilla were going to use the stolen power was a waiting game. Never had witches tried to remove larynxes of the greatest of witches alive to preserve their Work while their bodies were taken back by the earth. The witches drew from nature, and to nature they should return.
</p><p>Except General Sarah Alder, Willa sardonically qualified.
</p><p>But she didn’t know about the witches being taken until she joined the Spree, after her last Mission in the Military. She put on a smile in front of her people, not wanting them to see the large well of rage inside her because of what had happened.
</p><p>She would not let them see her lose control.
</p><p>But they will see her unerring loyalty to a cause that they hoped would eventually lead to the liberation of all witches. And with as much certainty as the Military had sacrificed her people, she would not hesitate to sacrifice civilians to achieve their goals. If the civilians were so willing to put witches lives on the line, then sacrificing civilian lives was fair game. Blood for blood. That much they were owed.
</p><p>An image of her husband briefly passed through her mind. He was innocent, she knew, but no less guilty for buying into a system that enslaved witches. She had also blindly believed in the system, too, until she saw the corruption from within.
</p><p>She directed a smile to Scylla in particular as the brunette chose her seat, and she nodded to everyone in greeting.
</p><p>”We have much to discuss. We might be closer to our goals than we anticipated, and it is ironically because of the Camarilla.”
</p><p>They had an influx of members just the past two weeks because the attacks from the Camarilla were getting more attention. Their attack on the Ball to attempt to cripple the army by taking the leaked secret weapon had been a high risk mission, which would have yielded them a high reward should they have been successful. But Willa had made sure to send her most dedicated operative, and the Camarilla’s attack had yielded more for the Spree than it did for the other parties involved in the mayhem. 
</p><p>More witches losing faith in the Military, and they were starting to recognize the truth of the conscription, now that they were being targeted by civilians who refuse to to acknowledge the role of the witches in society. The Army has saved thousands of lives, and the Camarilla repay they with deaths.
</p><p>Suddenly the Spree initiative had become more attractive to more witches.
</p><p>”The civilians are restless, and they are starting to pick sides. But the confusion is thick in the masses, especially now that the Camarilla has decided to lay low for a while.”
</p><p>Willa had long since figured out that the Camarilla were simple. They were a group of fanatics whose goals was simply to take revenge. They were a group that subscribed to ideologies that long since were dismissed, but they survived because some people, the most damaged, the most tortured, would always gravitate toward a cause. It was, after all, a similar tactic used by the Spree to choose who to recruit.
</p><p>But the difference was that the Camarilla were borne of their hate for the unknown and for the different. The Spree, on the other hand, were borne of the ashes of the persecuted, of the few sacrificed for the good of the many, of the innocent who were forced to fight for people who saw them as no less than nameless, faceless bodies. The Camarilla seemed to have persisted throughout the centuries just from their inability to accept those who were not like them.
</p><p>The Spree rose from the dead and dying. And they will fight until everyone was free.
</p><p>The Military had it in their minds that the Camarilla were the stronger threat, but the Spree were not afraid to destroy their current world in order for a new world to rise. And that made them more powerful.
</p><p>And now, because of the Camarilla, it seemed the Spree wouldn’t even have to do much for that to happen.
</p><p>”We will continue to scout, and we will continue to infiltrate the Military and Camarilla ranks for information. We will bide our time. And we will take advantage of the diversion of the war to seize our freedom.”
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>Winston tried to serve everyone here equally. He owned the little hole in the wall diner along one of the busiest streets in the city, and there were some days that it was full and some days when it wasn’t. And this time of the year, because of everything that was happening, he had been getting less and less people because some of them mark off places where they’d be able to interact with… them.
</p><p>He surreptitiously watched a couple of people now by the corner of the mostly empty shop, and he tried not to make it look like he’d paid any attention to what they were saying. He also doubled as a server now that his daughter had proven herself a better and more efficient cook than he was, so he encountered all sorts of people while he served as a waiter.
</p><p>He thought back to their conversation, hushed because of the time of the day, but heated.
</p><p>”The Witches are going mad. Camarilla? Aren’t they the stuff of legends?”
</p><p>”It’s history. They were the ones who led the persecutions. I mean they were pretty bigoted-“
</p><p>”But weren’t they right? People are dying.”
</p><p>”They’re not anymore, though. Maybe the Army really has the Spree under control.”
</p><p>”And it all happened behind the scenes? Didn’t you hear about the shooting?”
</p><p>Incredulous laughter. “You think the Spree are starting to use guns?”
</p><p>”Nobody heard any gunshots! All they know is a dozen people died that day and all of them were civilians.”
</p><p>”Impossible. It would’ve been all over the news by now.”
</p><p>”Unless they’re trying to keep it down.”
</p><p>And there was more. About the brewing tensions between the Military and the Camarilla. About the Spree and how they had been mysteriously quiet for the past few weeks. There were rumors of smaller attacks that didn’t make it to the news, videos that people were still being victimized, but there wasn’t any clear proof of them. The Spree didn’t seem like the type of people who would hide whether or not they were the ones responsible for the attacks, so everyone was on edge.
</p><p>And the people who came and went into his diner, they had theories, opinions. Stories. And he tried to stay out of it to serve everyone and not leave anyone out.
</p><p>But he’d noticed there had been increasing talks of picking sides, that the people who ate his food were fairly divided about who they were supporting, and he was honestly surprised. Because the witches had been serving humanity as soldiers for centuries, and he’d always thought more people would side with them.
</p><p>But that wasn’t the case. There was a considerable number of supporters of the other side of the war, those who believed that it would be better to just remove the witches from the equation. He couldn’t completely disagree either. The presence of an unregulated faction of witches that were attacking civilians had flushed out the Camarilla, and the latter had proven to be the only one willing and capable to stand up to witches, Spree and Military alike.
</p><p>It was all a mess, he thought, looking up again while he stacked used plates from a table that had been recently vacated. He watched them talk in undertones, and he’d heard enough of their conversation when he served them their food to know why both of their eyebrows were furrowed, why they were tense, why their voices drifted to where he was in harsh whispers.
</p><p>There was some talk about recruitment, about joining the right side of the war. He didn’t want to think about whether or not there would be a war. He was aware that there had already been thousands of casualties, but surely it wasn’t so big that there needed to be civilian involvement.
</p><p>But the last thing he’d heard before walking away, not even getting a glance of acknowledgement from the preoccupied pair, was about going against the freaks. And he could take a guess as to whom that pertained to.
</p><p>The riots in the streets against the Spree and the lack of response from the Military against both the Spree and the Camarilla have died down somewhat. There were still protests, but they had decreased in account of the inconsistent appearances from all parties involved. But the tension was there, especially from the thousands of civilians were getting caught in the crossfire. And for all intents of purposes, the fuel of the war was Work.
</p><p>Almost war, he reminded himself. He went back, handed off the dirty dishes to his younger son, and he took his post behind the counter, both so he was ready to welcome new customers, and to keep an eye on the pair in the corner of the room.
</p><p>It was a shame, really. He’d always opened his place to even witches and they had all been mostly pleasant.
</p><p>But if it came down to it, if the war did come upon them, he was still human. And he’d take the side of his kind over witches any day.
</p><p><br/>
</p>
<hr/><p><br/>
</p><p>General Sarah Alder strode through the corridors of the White House as if she was meant to be there. She passed by officials and staff alike who were both intimidated and impressed by the following. She had scheduled a meeting with the President, having gotten through easily, and she was confident the Suggestion Seed she’d left her with after the presidential address that reinforced the power of the Military was holding strong.
</p><p>She nodded to the the security team outside of the office, and she was led inside without needing to wait for the availability of arguably the most important person in the US. The General had very few things left she could willfully control after the string of events the past few months, and she was thankful for at least this.
</p><p>She saluted toward the President when the doors were opened for them, and they got a nod back.
</p><p>”Madam, President.”
</p><p>”General.”
</p><p>General Kelly Wade motioned to the seats, having prepared enough for all the biddies. She sat on her chair only after the last of the biddies also took their places, and she steepled her fingers delicately in front of her, her movement careful and precise.
</p><p>”You mentioned in your letter that you wanted to talk about the current political climate,” the president prompted.
</p><p>Alder nodded her head. “There is a nationwide unrest, and it is because of the resurfacing of the Camarilla.”
</p><p>”And the attacks of the Spree, who seemed to have had free reign until a few months ago. Do you have updates on that front?”
</p><p>Alder politely smiled, showing nothing of what was really on her mind. “We have them under control.”
</p><p>”Captured?”
</p><p>”Secured.”
</p><p>The president showed no indication of acknowledgement of the small game of cat and mouse that this conversation was going to be. They both already anticipated that the meeting was going to be more of a diplomatic formality. The two leaders were heading two very powerful entities, and they were here because they needed to show that they were still on each other’s sides.
</p><p>”And there won’t be any attacks in the future?” the President asked for assurance.
</p><p>”My people will make sure of it. The Camarilla are the ones we are trying to handle now. They are… creating mistrust. Doubt. Perhaps it would be prudent to remind the masses of where their loyalties should lie.” Alder sat tall on her chair, tone confident. She shouldn’t need to reapply the Seed for this Suggestion to work.
</p><p>”Perhaps,” the President neutrally answered. “This is a country of freedom, General. People are entitled to their opinions.”
</p><p>”It is,” the General agreed. “But some are taking the word of the few very loud ones as truth. And it misleads a significant portion of the people.”
</p><p>”What do you suggest?”
</p><p>The General didn’t pick up on the irony of the verb and the Seed she’d put on the president months ago. “An announcement from the White House denouncing the Camarilla and its supporters.”
</p><p>President Wade nodded her head. “Perhaps.” She looked behind the general, and waved one of her secretaries over. “Will that be all?”
</p><p>The General felt herself falter. “I don’t think you understand the gravity-“
</p><p>”I understand perfectly. My people are putting their faith in the Military, and we have nothing to show for it more than the thousands of deaths the past year, no capture of their perpetrators, and the reemergence of an age old legend who are hunting the said Military. General Alder,” the President stood, buttoning her blazer, clearly getting ready to dismiss her. “My people have the right to doubt. I think at this point in time, the best course of action is for the Military do something that upholds its loyalty to its people. Not the other way around. Don’t you agree?”
</p><p>General Alder stood, not turning her head toward the few security agents who had started to flank them, probably to escort them out, but their presence felt almost threatening. Not that they could do her any harm, but there were laws against using Work outside of their duties.
</p><p>She could only nod, and she barely returned the parting greeting from the President as she strode out.
</p><p>She let her mind stew on the way back to Base. She let herself acknowledge the points the president were trying to make, the rules they were both trying to uphold, the people they were both trying to govern. And the General thought about her own people, tied to their destinies out of a contract she’d signed three centuries ago so that they could be allowed to live.
</p><p>None of the witches alive today knew of the hardships she’d had to face in order to keep their people alive. None of them knew of her sacrifices, of the people she’d had to lead to their deaths, of the friends she’d lost along the way. None of them knew of how much she’d lost to keep them afloat.
</p><p>They were alive because of her. And General Alder would keep fighting to keep them alive, and away from the persecution of the earth. None of them would have to stand in front of a noose waiting for execution.
</p><p>She would be the last witch to have to.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Plot plot plot.</p><p>I'm hoping to finish this fic this November as part of NaNoWriMo. It's a bit of a cheat since I've started it months ago, but there's still so much to be written. And I joined the MFS fic exchange! So I'm trying to manage that into my schedule. I'm actually accepting prompts as long as you guys don't mind the wait, so if you want anything written... I'm up for some challenge. As always, thanks for sticking by me. And if there are any Filipinos reading my fic, I hope you guys are staying safe.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Uprooted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Raelle has an unexpected meeting.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>There was nothing else they could do about it. Scylla was good at infiltrating buildings she was familiar with and it was a waste not to include her. And Raelle really wanted to be the kind of girlfriend who was cool with that, but the image of a screaming Scylla in the depths of the basement of the Military was still vividly plastered at the forefront of her mind, and it was clouding her judgment.
</p><p>”We’ll be fine,” Scylla reassured, watching Raelle fidget with her hands, jaw working as she did. “The fact that you guys have a training session today solves most of our entry problems.”
</p><p>”And the fact that the Necro facility is basically a classroom helps,” Abigail said, echoing Scylla’s idea from the day before. “They won’t care for us walking around as long as we don’t linger.”
</p><p>”You don’t have to come, though,” Raelle tried again, maybe for the last time, as she faced Scylla.
</p><p>”She’s the only one who knows the layout,” Tally reminded Raelle gently, knowing how cranky Raelle had been that morning because she’d been too worried to sleep through the night.
</p><p>Raelle huffed out a breath, running a hand through her face in frustration, likely with herself. “I know,” she muttered. But she remembered waking up on the floor of that interrogation room, and seeing Scylla in chains, and she never wanted to see her in that situation again.
</p><p>”Hey.” Scylla voice softened, and Abigail and Tally took that as a sign to turn away, maybe give them a couple of minutes to settle down. “I’ll be fine. We’ll be in and out. We just have to give you enough time with the Mycelium to maybe figure out what it is or… what it wants?”
</p><p>”This would be so much easier if Izadora would just talk about it with us,” Abigail muttered.
</p><p>Scylla perked up. “I mean, she’s cool. Did you try and ask?”
</p><p>Raelle scowled. “Not after she told me you died.” Raelle shook her head. “Ok, whatever. Let’s go. But if there’s even a whiff of trouble-“
</p><p>”Ramshorn <i>is</i> trouble,” Abigail quipped, which earned her a wink from the former Necro.
</p><p>”Why thank you, High Atlantic. I do try.”
</p><p>Abigail rolled her eyes, but she smirked.
</p><p>Raelle looked back and forth between them, not knowing if she was liking the love-hate relationship they were cultivating. Her eyes settled on Scylla’s once more. “Are you sure about that back entrance?”
</p><p>”No. But that’s why Tally will be making sure it’s clear before we go in,” Scylla answered with an easy smile. She knew things could go wrong, but she was also adaptable. And as much as it was a Military Base, Scylla was only too aware of its weaknesses, specifically because the Spree was full of former Military who were tired of the system.
</p><p>They eventually managed to start their little infiltration mission, and they successfully get all of them inside after some wait after the Unit training. They then let Scylla in, following her instructions as to where to pass that would have the least number of people in their way.
</p><p>”Why do you know this anyway, Scylla?” Tally whispered while they walked.
</p><p>”Didn’t you hear Bellweather? I’m trouble.” Scylla grinned at her, then pursed her lips, looking ahead. “I like tinkering, but the Military is highly regulated and we’re not always allowed to experiment. I just… tried to find a way around that.”
</p><p>Raelle mentioned in passing that Scylla was the top of her year. Tally wondered then where Scylla would be if she continued training. She was only a year ahead, but already Scylla was one of the handful of people she knew who actually knew how to <i>create</i> their own Work.
</p><p>”And I tried to find the most efficient path to spy on my girlfriend in Basic,” Scylla added, mischievous smile coming to her face.
</p><p>When they reached the corridor where Raelle remembered the Mycelium was, they piled in, with Tally stretching her Sight to keep on eye on approaching people.
</p><p>”Do your thing then, shitbird,” Abigail muttered, eyeing the large, translucent being in front of them, some parts of it rippling.
</p><p>Just like the first time she was there, Raelle felt like she was drawn to the Mycelium, and she was thankful for Scylla’s hand reaching up to tug her arm so she’d stop her approach.
</p><p>”Raelle?”
</p><p><i>It calls,</i> Raelle tried to remember, thinking of the High Priestess of the Babaylan. And it does. Raelle didn’t know exactly what it wants, but it did. The last time Raelle touched it, it forged her connection to a well of power that Raelle could hardly fathom. Now that she was here, she didn’t know if she should actually touch it again. 
</p><p>Suddenly she heard a soft Seed from her side, and Raelle turned her head to watch Scylla sort of experimentally draw something out of the Mycelium. Another reason why they brought her. While not formally training anymore, Scylla still knew more than they did regarding Necro stuff. And this was essentially a large mushroom.
</p><p>Raelle was just equally mesmerized by the Seed spilling from Scylla’s lips, the same way she was the first time she heard the low, lilting tones of the Seeds of the Necro, then she felt Scylla’s hand settle on the small of her back, prompting her to look forward.
</p><p>A phantom limb, shaped from the translucent material of the Mycelium, started to extend from its depths, and Raelle would have been terrified if she didn’t feel so connected to it. Raelle closed her eyes a bit, letting Scylla’s Seed fill her ears, then she took a breath, picking up where Scylla’s Work shaped the small bit of Mycelium extended toward her.
</p><p>For the second time, Raelle reached out, and she was aware of how Scylla’s hand tensed behind her, but Raelle pushed on, touching the tip of her index finger to the Mycelium.
</p><p>Scylla would see Raelle’s eyes go completely white.
</p><p>Raelle would outwardly sigh, as if in relief, as she was reconnected to the powerful being that had drawn her to it the first time she was here. And it only took a few seconds, the longest of Scylla’s life, she would think, but Raelle would pull back from the Mycelium, her eyes shifting to her usual blue-grey.
</p><p>Raelle swallowed, pursing her lips. “We have to go.”
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>Raelle was silent the whole way back, and she was distracted enough to send Scylla off with only a parting peck. And there wasn’t any time to dwell because their medals started heating up, a signal that they were being called to a mission.
</p><p>Scylla remedied the goodbye for both of them, pressing a firmer kiss to Raelle’s lips. “Be careful, ok?”
</p><p>”Will you be able to go out on your own?” Raelle snapped herself out of the trance she’d been in, noticing that they were already outside of the Necro facility. Summons meant they didn’t have the time to make sure Scylla got out clear, but if there was a mission important enough to use the medals with, then it was distraction enough for everyone on the base.
</p><p>Scylla only raised an eyebrow cockily, before pressing a last kiss to her lips. “Be careful,” she repeated. “Don’t play hero. Come back to me, ok?”
</p><p>Raelle could only nod because they both knew that Raelle was the type to put herself on harm’s way for someone else.
</p><p>The Unit made their way back to the dorms to pick up their mission kits, but they stopped by the mess hall of the cadets in Basic where they heard the news on full blast.
</p><p><i>…We will leave no survivors. We will finally be free of the Spree, of the rest of these abominations of humanity.</i>
</p><p>The three of them shared looks, and then they hurried to their stations.
</p><p>It was the kind of mission where they received their orders during the drive over. Because the Camarilla have finally decided to make a bold statement.
</p><p>They attacked one of the inactive Military bases that housed retired veterans. The Witches there were by no means powerless against the attack, but they weren’t at their prime either, and from the initial reports, there have already been casualties.
</p><p>The Unit and other teams were being sent in as Fort Salem was the closest. What followed was a blur of being deployed toward areas they’ve never been, only led by the squad captains.
</p><p>It was a suicide mission for the Camarilla, and it was obvious they were only there to make a statement. Already when reinforcements arrived, the last of the Camarilla were being wrapped up, and it looked like they were only sloppily fighting back to take out as many Witches as they could before capture. The look of some of the bodies on the ground were those who have taken their suicide pills, similar to what the Unit has encountered during that mission where Scylla caught the affliction.
</p><p>The fight was already dying down, with just the occasional sound of a wind blast permeating the air, and the rest of them were only being sent to secure prisoners. Raelle was whispering a Seed to tighten the restraints on one of the captives when she heard the cry, and Raelle’s blood ran cold.
</p><p>She was up before her squad captain could issue out an order, and she was already halfway toward where she heard Tally’s cry had come from. She saw her lying on the ground, with a Camarilla just a few feet away, dying from the suicide pill that could take down witches near her. She must have waited until it was only Tally with her before activating.
</p><p>And Tally…
</p><p><i>No,</i> Raelle, thought, sprinting toward one of her sisters, heart dropping at seeing the thick, dark veins that meant she had been infected with the Affliction.
</p><p>But someone got to her first, and it was enough of a shock that Raelle stumbled, and she hesitated just a few feet away.
</p><p>She had Military combat clothes on, with her hood pulled up. Raelle could sense a camouflage Seed around her, but for some reason, it wasn’t working on Raelle. Raelle could see the woman’s blonde hair spilling from the hood, and Raelle felt her breath stutter to a stop when she looked up and Raelle was met with eyes as icy blue as her own.
</p><p>Then Raelle heard words she’d learned ever since she was younger, always for the good of whoever was being healed and to the detriment of Willa Collar, the healer.
</p><p><i>”Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and you shall find; knock and it shall be opened unto you.”</i>
</p><p>Raelle’s eyes widened late, knowing what Abigail had learned from Adil about almost losing healers who tried to heal Khalida while she had the affliction. And no matter the anger and betrayal Raelle felt ever since Scylla revealed that her mother was still alive, she still found herself calling out- “Stop!”
</p><p>But Willa was already pulling away, brushing a hand over Tally’s sweaty forehead before standing.
</p><p>Raelle found herself crashing to her knees beside Tally, knowing she was actually the only one who could head the Affliction so far, and she frantically cupped Tally’s cheeks.
</p><p>”Tally-“
</p><p>Tally groaned, but miraculously, unexpectedly, she didn’t have any trace of the veins characteristic of the Affliction. Raelle’s head finally snapped up to look for Tally’s healer, her mother, and found her gone.
</p><p>Raelle’s jaw worked as she recalibrated, choosing to focus on Tally who had started to rouse.
</p><p>”Tally,” Raelle called out again, just as Abigail slid to her knees on Tally’s other side.
</p><p>”What happened?” Abigail asked, voice urgent.
</p><p>Raelle motioned toward the body of the now dead Camarilla, before pressing one of her hands around Tally’s and whispering a diagnostic Seed. She relaxed when she picked up only that Tally was tired. She nodded to Abigail, and Abigail also seemed to relax, before hooking an arm around Tally’s.
</p><p>”Let’s get you up, then,” Abigail murmured, looking over her shoulder at the call of her name.
</p><p>”I’ve got her,” Raelle reassured, jerking her head toward where Abigail was called. “Go.”
</p><p>There was still enough chaos all around that barely anyone paid attention to what happened. The last of the Camarilla were being secured, and bodies of those with the bastardized Seed the Camarilla produced were being collected to be burned. They still didn’t if it was something that spread, and so the Military made sure to dispose of the bodies properly.
</p><p>Tally reassured Raelle that she was ok, and they made their way to their respective areas. Raelle paid close attention to their captives, knowing how volatile they were, but her mind kept going back to what happened. She didn’t even know the Spree was included as reinforcements of the Army, but given the involvement of the Camarilla, it wasn’t a leap to think that they were allowed into the mission just so there was additional fire power. They weren’t know to hold back their punches, and the Military wasn’t being conservative where the Camarilla was concerned.
</p><p>But her mother… what exactly happened? One minute, Tally was gasping for air, the affliction probably reaching her lungs, and the next she was completely fine, without any trace of the Seed. The only other time Raelle was able to see that powerful a healing was after Raelle had touched the Mycelium.
</p><p>She wondered if it was possible that her mother was also a vessel of the Mycelium. It would certainly explain how she took on so many patient while they were still in the Cession. Raelle always wondered how she did it. Raelle took up the mantle of sharing her gift of healing after Willa died—or rather, left, Raelle thought bitterly—and she realized that while Willa had explained that Linking and Fixing always had a price, Raelle had never seen many injuries on Willa.
</p><p>And when Raelle had started taking on the burden of healing Willa’s patients, Raelle chucked up her mother’s superior Fixing to her experience and to her being a more powerful witch, the kind Raelle could never be. But maybe… maybe it was actually an outside source that allowed Willa to Fix as many people as she did back in the day. Maybe she was also connected to the Mycelium.
</p><p>These thoughts swirled in Raelle’s head as she followed commands mechanically, to take care of the wounded, to lead those who could still walk toward a tent the Military had set up for Fixing. She had a few people she was set to Fix, and Raelle knew the number was low because the Affliction was getting more aggressive. Neither the Military and the Spree could find a counter or a cure. For now they only had Raelle.
</p><p>They eventually wrapped up, with a few people assigned to stay on that Base for any second or third wave of attacks, but they knew the Camarilla had only chosen this Base to make a statement. There wasn’t likely to be any more attacks that day. Or so they hoped.
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>”What the hell happened, Tally?” Abigail sat beside the red head, worried frown marring her face. She didn’t see Tally get attacked, but finding the Fixer third of their trio near her was never a good sign.
</p><p>Tally shook her head. “I was reckless.” She huffed out a frustrated breath. “I don’t know why I can’t See the Work associated with the Affliction.”
</p><p>They found out a few weeks before that Tally could already use her Sight to see a few seconds into the future. Nothing mind-blowing, but it was enough to give her an edge during fights. It was double-edged as the human mind can only focus on one image at a time, and Seeing meant she saw both her current opponent and what they were most likely to do in the next couple of seconds. It wasn’t the safest, but sometimes it gave her just the right amount of edge to win a fight.
</p><p>”Maybe it’s because it’s a fucked up version of our Work,” Raelle muttered, a little distracted.
</p><p>Tally nodded at that, accepting that she really couldn’t See everything she was still very new at it, and while she could do it, she didn’t always have a response to whatever was going to happen. Just because she knew something was coming didn’t mean she would be able to successfully fend it off. It was still a work in progress.
</p><p>”And what’s got you so distracted? Did something happen to Scylla?” Abigail asked, leaning back, but keeping one of her hands on the small of Tally’s back to offer comfort.
</p><p>Raelle ran a finger over the raised skin on her left hand, shaking her head. Ever since the incident in the Military Ball, of narrowly losing Scylla after she took Raelle’s place as captive of the Camarilla, the connection between the two of them had seemed to open. There was no other word for it. The Work Scylla had weaved from scratch opened a connection between the two of them that seemed to have become stronger after the Mycelium, and after Ball. Now whenever Scylla drew on her palm, no matter where she was, Raelle somewhat pick up on her emotions.
</p><p>Raelle shook her head again, clearing it of her musings. “Scylla’s fine. Tired,” she absently commented, not knowing how she knew, but accepting that she did. “No, it’s… Tally do you remember who Fixed you?”
</p><p>Abigail frowned, leaning forward again. “What do you mean? You’re the only one who can Fix afflictions.”
</p><p>Tally bit her lip, trying to recall what had happened, hand unconsciously coming up to press on her neck, where the worst of it had seemed to be. “I don’t. I only remember seeing the woman, she couldn’t have been older than me. Then suddenly my throat was closing up, I felt like my skin was burning.” She pursed her lips. “My vision was splotchy after that.” Then she perked up. “But I would have known if it was Raelle. We’ve linked before. It would have felt familiar.”
</p><p>”Then who the hell Fixed you?” Abigail demanded, impatient. Neither Raelle nor Tally paid it any mind. They knew when Abigail was frustrated or stressed it was hard for her to not let everyone know she was.
</p><p>Tally had been looking ahead as she described what had happened to her, but then she turned toward Raelle. “Did you see who Fixed me?”
</p><p>Raelle hesitated, not able to remember if she even mentioned her mother being alive to either of them. She had pushed it far back into her mind she almost forgot sometimes, because she didn’t want to deal with all the messy feelings she had about her mother leaving instead of dying.
</p><p>On the one hand she was glad that Willa was alive, of course she was. But her being alive also meant that she left Raelle and Edwin to their grief. She let them think she was dead, and she let them mourn her.
</p><p>Raelle could already feel herself stiffening. She didn’t want to talk about this. But she couldn’t deny that her family had extended toward these two. It only used to be herself and her dad. Now she had two sisters to add to that list.
</p><p>She chose not to think about Scylla in that space, yet, chose not to complicate her thoughts anymore with hopes of a future where Scylla being family meant rings, and a forever.
</p><p>So Raelle stood to pace, and she was thankful when neither of them pressed her for answers. It took a while before she found her voice again, and when she did, she sat on the chair across from Abigail and Tally who had settled on Tally’s bed.
</p><p>”It was my mom.” She raised a hand preemptively, knowing there would be questions. “She’s- she’s alive.” She hated that her voice broke, but she held on to everything that was keeping her together to force down the lump in her throat. “She revealed herself to Scylla a few months ago, and Scylla let me know as soon as she could.”
</p><p>”Rae,” Tally whispered, already starting to move forward to offer comfort, but Raelle shook her head. 
</p><p>Raelle knew, she <i>knew</i>, that if either of them hugged her she’d start crying. She’d bottled this for so long she knew she was just on the verge of breaking.
</p><p>She took a breath, then another before continuing. “She’s Spree.” Abigail and Tally exchanged glances and Raelle pretended not to notice. “She left us to join them, I guess.”
</p><p>Raelle didn’t mean for her thoughts to veer that way. She was supposed to tell them what she saw. That Willa somehow managed to Fix the Affliction when only Raelle could do it before, and only because she was somehow connected to the Mycelium. She should have told them that it was possible that Willa was also connected, just like how in the Babaylan, there were a handful who had been <i>called</i> as the High Priestess had said. She should have told them about how easily Willa had slipped in and out during that encounter, how troubling it was that no one still knew that she was alive, yet it seemed so easy for her to be in the thick of the Military operations.
</p><p>Instead she let her eyes fill because it was becoming entirely too difficulty to keep them at bay, and she said, “Why did she do that?”
</p><p>Tally was in front of her in a split second, cupping her cheeks, and brushing away tears that were quickly replaced by new ones. Raelle was pulled into a fierce hug, and she let herself be engulfed by Tally’s compassion, and by Abigail protectiveness as the Bellweather wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
</p><p>Raelle pressed her eyes against Tally’s shoulder, leaned sideward so she was also cradled in Abigail’s arms, and she let herself feel all the conflicting emotions she’d harbored ever since finding out that Willa Collar had orchestrated her death, and she did it so she could work with the Spree. She left her family, left her friends, left the Military to join a known terrorist group.
</p><p>She sobbed against Tally’s shoulder, hating that she was going through the same grief of losing her mother. But now for very different circumstances.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I'm very tired, I'm sorry this is late. I don't know if I'm going into seasonal depression. T-T</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. A Power Unwanted</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Raelle reveals what she found out during her second encounter with the Mycelium</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The security heightened as a result of the attack on the veteran camp. All bases were fortified, and protection Work were enhanced to prevent any other attacks from happening. College classes were cancelled for a couple of days to provide manpower for the rituals.
</p><p>But that didn’t really stop Scylla from sneaking in.
</p><p>”I told you I’d meet you outside.”
</p><p>Scylla only smiled at Anacostia, sitting at the chair in front of her desk. “You said that was going to be in a few days still. I thought I’d save us both the wait.”
</p><p>”How did you even-“ Anacostia shook her head. “Never mind. How are you?”
</p><p>Scylla raised her eyebrows, unused to people checking up on her, but she obliged. “Ok. I haven’t been included in recent skirmishes, so I haven’t really been going out. Just moving place to place as always.”
</p><p>”Just be careful.”
</p><p>Scylla nodded, already used to the constant reminders to watch her back, not entirely acknowledging the warmth it gives her. She was still unwilling to trust Anacostia, but only as a point of principle now. The sergeant was still very much entrenched in the Military and Scylla was still someone very much against it. “You, too. You’re the one carrying out directives underneath Alder’s nose.”
</p><p>Anacostia leaned back in her seat, the most she was going to allow Scylla to see her unguarded. It had taken an entire shifting of her worldview to do what she was doing. Alder had taken Anacostia in at the time of her life when she had nothing, and gave her what she needed to survive.
</p><p>But she was by no means blind to the shortcomings of the Military. She’d been able to turn a blind eye to the infractions because the one who ran the military was basically the one who raised her. But not now. Not after seeing Alder manipulate the president. “We do what we have to do. Do you have news?”
</p><p>Scylla pursed her lips. “I think we’re pulling back.”
</p><p>Anacostia raised her chin in a sign of ascent. “I figured. The Spree have been denying more and more missions with the Military. It’s the worst time to lose manpower.”
</p><p>Scylla barely contained her eye roll. Still thinking about sacrificing Witches, Scylla thought. “But we’re still joining the mission into the Cession.”
</p><p>Anacostia raised her eyebrows. “The Cession?”
</p><p>Scylla tilted her head. “You don’t know.” It wasn’t a question. “There have been disappearances for the past few months.” Scylla took a breath. “From dodger families.”
</p><p>The sergeant frowned. “We would have heard about it by now.”
</p><p>”Would you have?” Scylla’s tone wasn’t derisive. Just honest. “We’re not exactly at the top of the Military’s priority list to protect.”
</p><p>”How many?”
</p><p>”About a dozen. Probably more. We can’t really tell since dodgers are known to move around a lot, and the Cession’s an easy place to come and go to.” Scylla bit her lip, looking like she was about to say more, but stopped herself.
</p><p>”What is it?”
</p><p>Scylla shook her head. “How are the civilian groups?”
</p><p>Anacostia let it go. “Iffy.”
</p><p>A grin cracked Scylla’s stoic face. “<i>Iffy?</i>”
</p><p>Anacostia barely contained an outward show of her frustration. “The Spree’s attacks have made it almost impossible to convince some people to believe in trusting Witches fully.”
</p><p>Scylla gave a careless shrug. “I don’t know how you can trust people who mindlessly accept the systematic sacrifice of another group of people, either.”
</p><p>Anacostia grit her teeth. “Scylla.”
</p><p>The former Necro raised her hands. “Sorry,” she muttered. “It’s actually working,” she begrudgingly admitted.
</p><p>”The efforts for grassroots recruitment? And how do you know that?”
</p><p>”I joined a rally yesterday.”
</p><p>Anacostia’s eyes widened, then her lips thinned. “You <i>joined</i>-“
</p><p>”I was careful.”
</p><p>”You can’t just walk amidst civilians. What if they find out you’re Spree?”
</p><p>”I imagine I deserve whatever they have in mind.” Scylla’s eyes went from teasing to empty, as they always did whenever she revisited her memories of when she had been so lost she’d bought into a following that was just as bad as the system of oppression of the Military. No amount of regret will bring back the lives she’d taken.
</p><p>And up to this day, Scylla still didn’t know if she would have done any different. She still believed that civilians’ acceptance of the current system was part of the problem, and, she didn’t know how long it would have taken to make people see had the Spree not done what it did.
</p><p>There wasn’t any saving her anymore, Scylla believed. But she’d repay for all the lives lost as much as she could.
</p><p>”Anyway,” Scylla waved away. “I can gather information this way. Between the two of us, I’m still more likely to be able to blend in.”
</p><p>Anacostia frowned. Too many risks. “And what does Collar have to say about that?”
</p><p>Scylla raised an eyebrow. “What does she have to do with it?” When she only received a knowing stare, Scylla actually looked down to her lap, and started to fidget. “She doesn’t know.”
</p><p>Anacostia let the silence stretch after that, letting Scylla settle into the idea that if she wasn’t going to be careful for herself, then she should for her girlfriend.
</p><p>”I’m careful,” Scylla insisted. “And you need someone on the ground.”
</p><p>Anacostia’s jaw worked. She knew there wasn’t anything she could do. She did need someone on the ground, and Scylla was skilled enough in blending in not to get caught. And if she was, she was also good at managing to escape. Or manipulating her captors to letting her go, Anacostia thought sardonically.
</p><p>She’d let Scylla scout amongst their possible allies on the civilian side. They didn’t really have enough time to be choosy about assignments anyway. It had taken some convincing to even let the civilians be a part of the war effort, albeit mainly as a way to dissuade others from joining the Camarilla.
</p><p>They needed all the help they could get.
</p><p>
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</p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>It was risky. Raelle couldn’t really go back to have lessons with the Babaylan and learn their way of healing. So she’d tried to learn by herself. And it kind of worked, she tried to tell herself. And something else had happened.
</p><p>She grit her teeth now, heart heavy with the burden of being the team’s strongest Fixer despite being a first year, and shoulders heavy with the new piece of Work she’d tried to learn on her own and the implications of what she’d learned.
</p><p>What the Military had let happen.
</p><p>She gulped down the discomfort of what she’d found out. She almost wished they hadn’t infiltrated the Necro basement to learn from the Mycelium. The two other members of her Unit and Scylla had kept their silence around her, not prodding regarding what she could have gathered from her second contact with the powerful being beneath the biggest Military Base in the US.
</p><p>But she did find out. And the knowledge was keeping her up at night. Now that she knew, she wished she wouldn’t have to use Work that would funnel power from the Mycelium in order to save her fellow soldiers. Not until she figured out how bad things could get. And did Willa know? Is that why she left?
</p><p>Raelle clenched her fists as she was given direction to stay behind with the other Fixers. They were to be on standby, with a few groups to be deployed amongst the other soldiers to provide on site Fixers. But Alder had been more and more protective of her, trying to balance her role within the Unit, who everyone had realized was going to be an important piece of the war, and how carelessly sending them in the frontlines could cost them one of the three, if not more.
</p><p>But she’d get called if needed, and so far there hasn’t been any need, despite the very palpable absence of the Spree during the missions. Scylla had also been silent, but only on Raelle’s insistence. The Military’s security has tightened and they both agreed that seeing each other was too dangerous, so the Unit was basically cut off from insider information through Scylla.
</p><p>But with the Spree silent, the Military was reaching the end of the list of hideouts of the Camarilla that the Spree had collated through its years of spying on the rising group of anti-Witches, and soon even the Military would have nothing to go on if they didn’t find an alternate source of information.
</p><p>Raelle doubted they wouldn’t find one. Alder probably already started planting her own spies in the networks. The convoluted trifecta of a war that had been going on both in and out of the radar of the civilians was drawing to an inevitable boiling point and they were all going to be pulled into the middle of it, whether they liked it or not.
</p><p>For now they were still being sent to round up the last few Camarilla that they could.
</p><p>But Raelle should have known she couldn’t go on a mission without tapping into the Mycelium.
</p><p>They were just wrapping up when a suicide pill was detonated about 100 yards from the Fixer tent, and it was a flurry of activity to get the victims to Raelle. Six, she counted, as they approached one by one, and Raelle grit her teeth, wondering if she could make do with just her Work.
</p><p>Two seconds into trying to Link with the first victim and she already knew she would need to do the Work with the Mycelium.
</p><p>”Collar, what are you doing?” Abigail’s voice was urgent as she hovered over the blonde, tone reminiscent of how demanding it was during the start of Basic.
</p><p>Raelle blocked out the images of what she’d learned from the Mycelium, sliding her hand over the wrist of the first soldier that was brought to her, knowing she had no other choice but to heal the way she had the first time with Khalida.
</p><p>She went through the five other’s the same way, not bothering to try not tapping into the Mycelium anymore. The Affliction was getting worse and worse, and Raelle knew why.
</p><p>Later that day, Tally was the one who pulled her aside, situating the three of them in the fire escape of their dorm, which they had unofficially made the place where they hung out, already equipped with semi-permanent privacy charms they’d collectively put there to keep out prying ears and eyes.
</p><p>”Raelle. We need to talk about what you saw. You know I’d be the last person to pry, but what happened today…” Tally trailed off, having only heard what happened from Abigail because it was her group of Blasters who had been closest to the Fixer tent.
</p><p>Raelle had hesitated to heal, and they couldn’t really afford for her to.
</p><p>Raelle ducked her head. “You don’t know?”
</p><p>Tally frowned. “What do you mean?”
</p><p>Abigail shook her head, leaning back against the wall of the building. “Does Alder know?”
</p><p>The knower’s expression cleared of her confusion. “Oh. I… I don’t remember anything about the Mycelium. And the Fixers said I’m likely to start forgetting things as my mind heals from the biddy thing.”
</p><p>”But there’s a chance she knows,” Raelle insisted, even though her tone was leaning toward wanting to hear a negative response. She didn’t want Alder to know. It was something that would just be another point against the General. They understood that as the leader of the witches for 300 years, she’d had to make decisions that were questionable, but her crimes were stacking up.
</p><p>”What did you see, Rae?” Abigail’s voice was uncharacteristically soft, and it was a tone she only ever used with her Unit.
</p><p>Raelle was quiet for a long time, and it looked liked Tally was ready to prompt Raelle again, but then the blonde shook her head, huffing out a breath. “The Affliction came from us.”
</p><p>Tally and Abigail froze at that revelation, and they both stared at Raelle waiting for an explanation, but Raelle stood, brushing her hands on her pants. “Come with me.”
</p><p>
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</p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>Raelle brought them to the small graveyard that her and Scylla had walked through the first few weeks they were together, and she did what Scylla had brought them there to do at that time. She looked for something dead.
</p><p>She knelt down when she found a dead bird, and she pursed her lips, running the back of her hand over the feathers of the animal.
</p><p>Tally had already mirrored her movement, kneeling across from her, but Abigail was more reluctant. “That Necro girlfriend of yours is rubbing off on you too much,” Abigail muttered, feeling discomfort at where they were.
</p><p>”Can you just settle down?,” Raelle snapped, clearly not in the mood for joking around.
</p><p>And for once, Abigail didn’t rise to the bait, knowing Raelle was looking to release some of her brewing frustration with what she’d found out, and it wasn’t the time nor the place to start a fight. Abigail wordlessly followed the order, kneeling beside Tally, and exchanging glances with her, before looking back at their Fixer friend.
</p><p>Raelle was quiet again, looking at the carcass now in the middle of the three of them, and she muttered, “I’ve only ever tried this with plants.”
</p><p>Tally and Abigail exchanged glances again, starting to get worried.
</p><p>But Raelle kept her eyes downward, then her right hand slowly came up. She slowly flipped it, staring at the palm of her hand as if looking for something, then she turned it back over, folding the rest of her fingers until on her index was extended. Then she took a breath, and breathed out a quiet seed that they recognized as a modified Linking.
</p><p>”Raelle-“ Tally tried to stop her, but Raelle continued.
</p><p>The first few seconds, nothing happened. But then Raelle sung until familiar, eerie black veins sprung forth from her finger, spreading from the point of contact with her finger to engulf the entire body of the dead bird.
</p><p>And both Tally and Abigail’s heads snapped toward Raelle.
</p><p>”Rae?”
</p><p>”What the hell?”
</p><p>Raelle shook her head, and she pulled her hand back because like the other two times she’d tried to do this, her hand ended up shaking from the fear of actually being capable of doing this Work. It was horrifying. And it terrified Raelle that she could do something like this.
</p><p>”It’s the Mycelium. It- it- it-“
</p><p>”Slow down, Raelle,” Abigail intoned, reaching an arm out, but not touching her friend, not knowing if it would help.
</p><p>Raelle shook her head. “It’s a <i>conduit</i>.“
</p><p>Abigail frowned. “How do you mean?”
</p><p>Raelle shook her head. “I’ve been wondering why I don’t take the injuries I’ve been Fixing. I told you the first time with Khalida, didn’t I? I always, <i>always</i> take on at least a part of the disease or the injury. But ever since touching the Mycelium…” She swallowed down her panic, wanting to get all of this out. “It seems I’ve just been putting it somewhere else.”
</p><p>”Where?” Abigail asked.
</p><p>”The Mycelium,” Tally answered, before Raelle could. “And the price for the healing is that it gets-“ Tally struggled to find the right word, “-mutated, somehow?”
</p><p>”Everything gets all mucked up inside it, and it needs a vessel to,” Raelle’s hands flailed a little, her hands still shaking. “To release it.”
</p><p>Raelle leaned back, landing on her butt, not really caring that she was seated on dirty ground. “I always wondered why the Affliction always felt… it feels <i>wrong</i>. And how did the Camarilla even make something like that, right? From nowhere? They’re not witches. Where would they even begin to make that up?”
</p><p>Abigail looked uncomfortable, remembering what had happened to Charvel. ”So they didn’t just cut up voice boxes and bastardized already existing seeds.”
</p><p>”No,” Raelle confirmed, mind going back to what the Mycelium had showed her. “They probably harvested the Affliction from victims who already had it. And the Affliction was a mutated <i>something</i> from the Mycelium.”
</p><p>”All the vessels, you,” Abigail gestured toward Raelle. “Could Fix without consequence because the Mycelium was absorbing and storing everything inside it. And in the same way that vessels can store…”
</p><p>”We can take it out. I can inflict the Affliction on anyone.”
</p><p>Tally shook her head. “No. No, that can’t be. It would mean-“
</p><p>”The Military was the first one to use the Affliction during war. And the Camarilla are just retaliating,” Raelle finished, voice flat.
</p><p>Abigail also shook her head. “That’s- that’s a heavy accusation, Collar.”
</p><p>”You think I don’t know that?” Raelle’s voice was rising. The stress of holding on to this information overwhelming her.
</p><p>”All right, ok.” Tally raised both her hands, and she watched an almost Pavlovian response in her unit mates, their shoulders relaxing at having Tally mediate. “Let’s go back. And we’ll talk about this some more, ok?”
</p><p>Abigail was on her feet fast, mind racing with the new information. Raelle was slower to move, staring at the carcass that now had featherless patches from where black veins had caused an early necrosis, hastening the decomposition. 
</p><p>It was unnatural.
</p><p>Scylla had said that life becomes death becomes life again. But harnessing the Affliction had only filled her with a hollowness, leaving her cold. It felt like a brush with death, and there was no chance of life ever coming from its victims.
</p><p>Raelle pushed to her feet and gave Tally what she hoped was a reassuring smile.
</p><p>Work like that shouldn’t be allowed to be in the hands anyone. It shouldn’t be in Raelle’s hands.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Seasonal depression is hitting me hard. T-T I'm sorry this came so late. I hope I can write the next part a little sooner.</p><p>Thanks to everyone who tried to reassure me regarding posting! Thanks for understanding. 😊</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Calm Before the Storm</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Moments in the Cession</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>”He’s ok, Raelle.”
</p><p>Raelle grit her teeth, thankful for Tally whose ability to scry had already extended to be able to link to certain people as long as she had a strong object of focus. And nothing was as strong as Raelle to be able to check on her dad.
</p><p>But Raelle was still mad about now just finding out that apparently there had been several missions to the Cession and the Military had decided that they were low priority. There were rumors going around that the Spree had taken point on that, and she could only guess that it was because of their ideology about putting witches first. And the fact that her mother was there.
</p><p>Raelle had only been home a couple of days since she died. She’d insisted on seeing her father after she got home, and he had been the first person she’d thought of when she’d landed back in the US. They’d exchanged letters since, and he hadn’t ever mentioned anything happening in the Cession. But knowing him, it was probably because he didn’t want her to worry.
</p><p>The only civilian in their little family, and he was still the most protective, and the bravest of the three of them.
</p><p>No matter Tally’s reassurances, Raelle wouldn’t feel safe until she saw him, and she wouldn’t have any chance to see him until that night after they’ve patrolled their respective areas. She was just lucky enough that the handful of Cession soldiers who were included in the mission were assigned to where their families lived so they could check on them, but it was most likely a function of them knowing the area better than most. Raelle wasn’t naive enough to think that the Army actually cared about the families there. She knew how others thought of them. Raelle had already heard the grumbles from a few High Atlantics.
</p><p>After landing, Raelle was restless while they waited for instructions, and she’d set the impatient pace off the path they were tasked to survey. She only stopped when she was jerked back not by the force of the the hand that had firmly took hold of her arm, but by how determinedly she was walking.
</p><p>”What, Tally?” She barely acknowledge how hard she was pulled backward.
</p><p>”We need to be careful. We don’t want to draw attention to your dad.”
</p><p>Raelle frowned. “No, we’ll just check on him a second and-“
</p><p>”He’s ok, Raelle,” Tally reassured.
</p><p>”Yeah, I know you Saw him, Tal-“
</p><p>”No, I-“ Tally pressed her lips together. “I actually thought to contact someone who was already here.”
</p><p>Raelle’s jaw dropped. “Tally. We talked about keeping this quiet.” Her voice lowered to a whisper to prove her point.
</p><p>”Yeah, but,” Tally swallowed. “I scried on her just to check. Because she hasn’t reached out in a bit-“
</p><p>”Her? Who did you-?” Then it dawned on her. “You scried on <i>Scylla</i>?!”
</p><p>”Raelle-“
</p><p>”No, I know you both have a problem with her, but we talked about-“
</p><p>Abigail actually bodily slapped a hand over Raelle’s mouth to shut her up, and she actually smirked when Raelle’s eyes flared with her indignation. “Shitbird. She’s here.”
</p><p>Raelle pulled roughly away, looking suspiciously at the two of them. “How do you know? Why didn’t you tell me?”
</p><p>”We’re telling you now. I told Tally knowing they’re both here would screw with your head, and we had a really big mission right after she found out.”
</p><p>”What the hell?” Abigail and Tally could see that Raelle was starting to gear up for a bigger fight. It was a good thing they’d broken off from the rest of the their group in the guise of fanning out and widening the surveillance area and finishing the patrols quicker.
</p><p>Then a rustling of leaves had all of them reaching for their hips where their scourges were at the ready, and they watched a tall, brunette guy emerge from the trees with his hands raised in surrender. Raelle relaxed when he neared, making Abigail stiffen beside her.
</p><p>”Who-“
</p><p>”Why didn’t you tell me you were here?”
</p><p>The guy’s face turned apologetic, before he fished a lighter from his pocket.
</p><p>Abigail made a disgruntled face. “A warning next time so we don’t attack you with our scourges.”
</p><p>They watched, less suspicious now, but always a little curious as to how the off canon Work burnt through the Mask Scylla had chosen. The first time Abigail had seen it, her jaw had tensed just thinking about the rest of the Spree who could be anyone at anytime and who weren’t on their side. Now she was slightly more appreciative of how convenient it was to have a double—maybe even triple—agent like Scylla on the field.
</p><p>Raelle was doing better at not worrying too much, but Abigail couldn’t imagine how that must feel like.
</p><p>The last of the ashes drifted to the wind, revealing Scylla’s face, the rest of her body morphing with her. Something dark passed through her eyes that only Raelle picked up, but it was gone before the other two could notice. “Maybe I like to be whipped.”
</p><p>Abigail’s lips ticked up. “Really? I always thought you’d be the one doing the whipping.”
</p><p>Raelle blushed to the roots of her hair. “This is not how I imagined you’d get along. Can you just…”
</p><p>Abigail made a mock salute, Tally giggling on her heels, as they continued their surveillance route but walked about two dozen paces ahead of Raelle and Scylla to give them some semblance of privacy.
</p><p>”Scylla-“
</p><p>Scylla silenced her with a quick kiss that was enough to thaw her ire, and ended way earlier than she wanted to. She opened her eyes to a smiling Scylla who looked like she knew exactly how much of an effect she had on Raelle.
</p><p>”Missed you,” Scylla said, by way of explanation, putting a bit of pressure on Raelle’s back to get them moving toward the direction Tally and Abigail had taken.
</p><p>”I’m sorry,” Scylla started. “Our missions started at the same time yours did. I didn’t want you to get in trouble with wanting to see him.”
</p><p>”You could’ve at least told me,” Raelle insisted.
</p><p>”And you would have kept a level head and wouldn’t have insisted on seeing him?”
</p><p>Raelle grit her teeth. “I have a right to know how my dad is.”
</p><p>”And you know from Tally that he’s fine.”
</p><p>”Scylla.” Raelle’s voice was hard, but there was a tone of desperation beneath it, and it shut Scylla up. She watched Raelle work her jaw, looking stiff as they walked the perimeter of the area where Edwin lived. “He’s all I have left.”
</p><p>Scylla’s heart clenched for her, felt an echo of the loss of both of her parents in Raelle’s fear. “I know,” Scylla acquiesced. “I know, I’m sorry. I could just… feel how stressed you were. Through the-“ she motioned to their hands, the poorly discussed but generally accepted modified Work that connected them through distances. “I didn’t want to add to that. I would have told you if anything happened close to here.”
</p><p>The backs of their hands brushed, and Scylla watched Raelle’s posture relax slightly. “I know. But I’ll worry anyway, Scyl. If something had happened-“ 
</p><p>”It didn’t,” Scylla gently, but firmly reminded her, not wanting Raelle to focus on that dark thought.
</p><p>They were quiet as they rounded the northeast part of the area, making a turn to complete the circuit. Raelle broke the silence just as the sun had begun to set. “Did you meet him?”
</p><p>Raelle turned her head to meet Scylla’s surprised gaze. “No! I mean, no, I didn’t.”
</p><p>”You don’t wanna meet him?”
</p><p>”No. I mean, yes. I-“
</p><p>”You seem unsure- ow!” Raelle laughed, batting at Scylla’s hand that had reached to pinch at her side.
</p><p>”Stop teasing me,” Scylla grumbled, but let Raelle take her hand so they could make their way to the last area they were supposed to survey.
</p><p>They both watched Abigail blow a soft seed to let their superiors know that they were done and everything was clear, and they watched Tally’s eyes unfocus just for a few seconds, seeing more than any of them ever would.
</p><p>”Did you place the anchors?” Abigail asked.
</p><p>Raelle raised both eyebrows, and mumbled an affirmative.
</p><p>Tally pursed her lips to hide a smile, feeling more anchors than there should have been to allow a sharper image for her to See the area. “We’ll give you some time to visit your dad, Rae.”
</p><p>Scylla was surprised at the lack of protest from Abigail at the breech in protocol, but didn’t comment. She simply smiled at Tally, then winked at Abigail, before following Raelle toward the direction of where her dad lived.
</p><p>Scylla kept it to herself that she’d done her own rounds of the area frequently and had placed four anchors around the perimeter to keep an eye on him. She wasn’t as good as Tally was, but they all knew a little bit of everything. And being a dodger had already made her a bit of a jack of all trades.
</p><p>She tried not to fidget as they walked and it was only Raelle’s hand settling on hers again to give it a squeeze that let her know she wasn’t successfully hiding anything.
</p><p>”I want you guys to meet,” Raelle admitted. “But it doesn’t have to be today. It’s not really-“ Raelle motioned around them to refer to the situation they were in, the war hovering over them.
</p><p>Scylla smiled. “I just don’t wanna interfere with your time with him.”
</p><p>”But you’re also nervous.”
</p><p>Scylla rolled her eyes, smile widening. She leaned closer to Raelle to thread her arm through the blonde’s, leaning on her. “Yes, ok. But I’m pretty charming.”
</p><p>”Woah, Scylla. That’s my dad. Ow!” Raelle laughed, albeit quietly, to not draw any unwanted attention toward them in case they were int he vicinity of anyone. She mock glared at Scylla who had scrunched her nose after biting at Raelle’s shoulder. “I mean. Not out here.”
</p><p>”Raelle!”
</p><p>Raelle snickered, glad for the distraction. Scylla was essentially the most successful one as far as keeping her mind off worrying over her dad was concerned. Her head had been too preoccupied as soon as she’d found out, and it had come at the time when Scylla had missed her check in with both Anacostia, in an official capacity, and to Raelle who she checked in with just to reassure each other that the war hadn’t done anything bad to either of them.
</p><p>”This is the most giggly I’ve seen you.”
</p><p>“I don’t giggle.”
</p><p>Scylla gave her a condescending smile. “Of course, you don’t.” But then she sobered, giving Raelle’s arm another squeeze. “Raelle, I can just walk you there. I know one of the worst parts of enlisting was not seeing him.”
</p><p>”Not the dying part?” She was met with a scowl and she placated Scylla by raising their joined hands and pressing a kiss to the back of Scylla’s, before feeling her shoulders sag with the reality of how little she really saw her dad. “Yeah.” She looked toward the familiar trails of her childhood home, seeing a handful of people that knew her but their eyes seemed to just slide past the two of them, probably from the seed Scylla had sung before they made their way to Raelle’s childhood home. “But I also almost never see you now. We’re both neck deep in this war.” She shook her head. “If it’s ok with you, I’d really like to spend whatever time I’ve swindled from my Unit with you and my dad. If you’re ok with that.”
</p><p>Scylla smiled. “I am.”
</p><p>It didn’t take them long to arrive at Raelle’s home. Scylla shook their joined hands, then loosened hers as they approached.
</p><p>”Should we-?” She shook them again nonverbally asking if they should tone down the PDA.
</p><p>Raelle made the most disgruntled face, and Scylla stifled a laugh as Raelle knocked on the door.
</p><p>”Sorry,” Scylla giggled, covering up her nervousness over meeting Raelle’s father for the first time. “I didn’t know if you were hiding your Spree girlfriend from your dad.”
</p><p>”I wouldn’t hide you,” Raelle declared, eyes clear of anything.
</p><p>Edwin opened the door to Scylla kissing raelle's cheek and Scylla had never seen Raelle blush so badly.
</p><p>
  <br/>
</p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
</p><p>”She's a good one.”
</p><p>Raelle looked toward the kitchen where Scylla had disappeared to after offering to do the dishes. Raelle had gotten up to help her, but Scylla’s eyes had flickered toward Edwin to let Raelle know to take this moment to spend time with him.
</p><p>Scylla had been the perfect girlfriend. She was kind, polite, attentive. Raelle had wondered why she was picking flowers while they approached her house, and didn't even notice when she had arranged them into some sort of simple bouquet while they walked. Her dad had blushed when she offered them to him, had laughed heartily when Scylla uttered that she was offering them in exchange for Raelle's baby pictures.
</p><p>Apparently, Collars didn't stand a chance against Scylla Ramshorn. Raelle couldn't say she was surprised.
</p><p>But then, Raelle thought about Scylla infiltrating the largest military base, worked as a spy in vengeance of her parents, sought Raelle out to recruit her for the radical rebellion of the spree.
</p><p>Then risked her life in order to put Raelle first, got caught by the army, tortured by the Spree, and here she still was with Raelle, precariously balancing in an impossible line between two very opposite sides of the war because she’d finally found something to both live and fight for.
</p><p>Raelle actually looked scared when she looked back a her dad. “She is.”
</p><p>She looked at her dad now, with wrinkles she hadn’t seen in his face from when she’d left more than a year ago, and she wondered if she'll only ever see him in between moments of peace. There was always going to be a war. Scylla was a part of that. But her dad... She wanted him to be as far away from conflict as possible.
</p><p>“Have you thought about what I said in my last letter?”
</p><p>Edwin barked a laugh out at her. “Don’t be silly. This is our home.”
</p><p>“You'll be safer.”
</p><p>“Nowhere is. At least here I'm surrounded by family.”
</p><p>Because that's how the Cession saw each other. They were bound by hardships and suffering. That was probably why Scylla was a lot more comfortable here, too. They were all overlooked by the military. It was a wonder her Unit was even here on a mission. But the attacks had increased, and it didn't take long for the Camarilla to realize that the Cession wasn't a military priority. There'd been more attacks here than anywhere else and yet they were just now getting support.
</p><p>Scylla had told her while they were walking earlier that she'd noticed their home had more protective wards than any other. Probably Willa's doing. Because the military would never, so she had to.
</p><p>”It's not forever. It's just until the war's over.”
</p><p>”Well, if we're keeping each other safe, you should also take a leave from the military until things settle down.”
</p><p>”That's different.”
</p><p>”We're both worried about the other dying. How different is it, squirt?”
</p><p>”Squirt?”
</p><p>They both looked toward an approaching Scylla, smiling teasingly at Raelle, but visibly walking slower, ready to maybe make another excuse to leave them alone if there was need for it.
</p><p>”Dad rights,” Edwin intoned, feeling himself relax despite the topic of conversation, because Raelle seemed to also lose some of the tension in her shoulders upon seeing Scylla.
</p><p>”I’ll stick to babe then.”
</p><p>”Jesus,” Raelle muttered, slumping on the couch some more, but Edwin noted that she almost gravitated toward Scylla when the dark haired girl sat down beside her. Raelle didn't hesitate to swing an arm up and over Scylla's shoulders. Edwin noted the familiar stubbornness in Raelle's movements. She wasn't going to hide her affection, not even from her dad.
</p><p>But Edwin also recognized a desperation there. They were both entirely to young to be a part of a war, too young to cling on to a love that might not last, too young to worry about it actually not lasting, but here they were, stealing a couple of hours to hide away with him. He had never regretted falling in love with his wife, but he would always wonder how things would be if they'd had civilian daughter instead. Life would be a lot simpler.
</p><p>But he would never trade away Raelle for anything.
</p><p>”You should be getting back.”
</p><p>Edwin watched his daughter's eyes dim. The military was taking a lot out of everyone, but he knew it was taking its toll more on those who have lost so much already.
</p><p>”Yeah,” Raelle agreed, pushing up to her feet. “We'll see you-“
</p><p>
Edwin watched as Raelle's head cocked to the right, her eyes going unfocused as her mind became preoccupied with a voice inside her head. She'd already told him how it worked, didn't tell him they weren't supposed to learn it until their third year in war college, but her unit had banked on their stronger connection because of the Mycelium.
</p><p>”There's been an attack on the base nearest Fort Salem,” Raelle relayed, eyes refocusing on her father. “I need to go-“
</p><p>Just then, an explosion caused all of them to stumble on their feet, a flash of light filling the room from one side of the house.
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>We're going to war, switches.</p><p>(I have to get creative for Raylla moments now 😭)</p><p>Thanks for sticking with me!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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